Moments
by Dirty Robber
Summary: Rebecca wants to make sure that Booth doesn't miss his moment with another person. Set after The Truth in the Lye Season 2 episode
1. Chapter 1

**Moments**

**Summary: Rebecca wants to make sure that Seeley doesn't miss his moment with another person. Set after "The Truth in the Lye" Season 2 episode.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the storylines, the props, nada! And they refuse to give me money for writing simple fan fiction.**

**Author's notes: I know, I know—I should be working on "A Pain That I'm Used To" and I am! I promise! This idea just popped into my head and I felt the need to write it down, especially since I've been muse-free lately. For those of you who have not seen this episode, you may not want to read this story…I would hate to spoil the episode for you.**

**But if you decide to read this story, please feel free to let me know what you think. **

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_Rebecca: I think there's a moment for two people…a single moment…where they either catch fire…. Seeley and I, we missed our moment._

He threw open the door of his SUV and quickly climbed out, his eyes searching through the crowd. A loud round of cheering and applause greeted him as he jogged toward the baseball field. Booth grinned as he watched his son amble toward the home plate and take his stance—the stance that Booth had spent a whole day teaching him a year ago.

"Come on Parker! You can do it!" Parker waved enthusiastically at his father, the ball game and his 'professional' baseball stance completely forgotten.

The miniature version of Booth regained his focus, adjusted the helmet atop his blond mop and once again took his stance with a serious look upon his face. Parker swung the bat back and then brought it forward with as much strength as his four-year-old upper body could muster. The bat connected solidly with the baseball sitting on top of the tee and flew through the air into the empty unguarded pocket between second and third base.

"That's my boy!" Booth yelled proudly as he clapped his hands. "Run Parker…go…go…"

Parker ran as hard as his little legs could carry him to first base. The first base coach motioned for him to stop and stay on the base. The boy's efforts were rewarded with a pat on the head from his coach and a large section of cheering parents.

"Seeley, over here." Booth glanced over to the bleachers and saw Rebecca motioning for him to come over. Giving Parker a quick thumbs-up sign, he sauntered over toward his ex and took a seat beside her.

"I'm glad I got here in time to see that," he sighed as he made himself comfortable. Looking over at the rest of Parker's team, Booth nodded at Rebecca's on again-off again boyfriend Drew. "I guess I owe him one for taking over my coaching duties today, huh?"

"He was happy to help out Seeley." She saw the muscle in his jaw clench as he watched the game. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…fine. I just…you know, I was really looking forward to the first game of this season and seeing Parker." He sighed as he watched his son standing on first base, waiting for the opportunity to run to second. "A case came up early this morning and I…"

"Seeley, I know. Remember? You called me early this morning full of apologies. I understand. Parker understood too but I know he's really glad that you were able to make it." She placed her hand on his arm and squeezed it slightly. He turned his face toward her and smiled.

"As soon as the game is over I have to get back to the lab. Bones should have some information for me by then."

Rebecca chuckled and patted his arm.

"What?" he asked as he watched her shake her head, obviously amused by something.

"Bones…I just can't believe she allows you to call her that. I mean, I don't really know her and I've only met her once but she doesn't seem like the type of woman who would find that nickname amusing. Or appropriate."

"When did you meet Bones?" His brown eyes narrowed as he watched her cheeks flush slightly.

"I came by your office a few weeks ago. You were busy and I ran into her out in the hallway." She shrugged and turned her attention back to the game. "She seemed very nice…a little odd but very nice."

Booth chuckled at his ex's assertion that his partner was 'odd'.

"Bones…Temperance…is different but only in good ways. She's actually very brilliant."

"And very pretty." She felt Booth's arm tense under her hand and smiled. "You can't tell me that you haven't noticed that Seeley. A good, warm blooded all American male such as yourself has a tendency to check out the ladies…"

"I do not 'check out the ladies' Rebecca. You make it sound like I some kind of womanizer." Even as he defended himself, his bedroom romp with Cam entered his mind. What was supposed to be a one time thing had turned into an almost every other day affair. It was—what had Bones called it?—a release. Yes, a release of endorphins and serotonin. Who the hell was he kidding? It was mind blowing sex with an old flame that held no logic or reason.

"Come on Seeley, who are you kidding?"

Booth's head snapped up as Rebecca's voice broke his train of thought. "What?"

"Dr. Brennan…you're going to sit there and tell me that you've never noticed how attractive she is?"

"I never said that I didn't find her attractive…" He stopped as he noticed a smug smile cross Rebecca's face. God, she was as bad as Angela. "Look, Bones is my partner and a really good friend. End of story. Now let's drop this subject, okay?"

He resumed watching the game and smiled as his son rounded second base and finally made it to third base after one of his teammates hit the ball far into left field.

"She cares about you, you know?"

He turned and studied Rebecca's profile as she watched their son. "I care about her too. As I said, she's a good friend."

Rebecca sighed as she pushed a few strands of her blonde hair from her face, her eyes never leaving Parker. "Seeley, there was a moment…between us…when I would have married you. If you had asked me in that moment, we would be together now. But you didn't and I let the moment pass and…we didn't get another chance."

She leaned forward, placing her elbows on her knees and turned her face toward him again. "You talk about Dr. Brennan all the time. I don't know whether you even realize it. I'm regaled with second hand tales of her from Parker after he comes home from visiting you. Seeley, can you honestly tell me that you've never had a 'moment' with her?"

Booth stared at his ex-girlfriend for a long time. The sound of parents berating the umpire over an unfair call fell away as he thought about all of the moments that he had indeed shared with Temperance—the feel of her body against his as they danced together in Aurora; dancing around her apartment to Foreigner; watching the 'Grapes of Wrath' in his hospital room after she cancelled her date; her assertion in New Orleans that she should be nicer to him; presenting her with Jasper as she tried to work through the trauma of taking the life of another human being; and the conversation in her office just two weeks ago where they both agreed that there were some people you couldn't 'just have sex with'.

He remembered at the time that he felt himself falling into the warm blue of her eyes as they stared at each other. Booth thought he saw something akin to desire in her eyes before they were interrupted by Angela and Jack.

Feeling pressure on his forearm again, he looked down at Rebecca's hand.

"Seeley, all I'm saying is don't let another moment pass you by. I want you to be happy, really happy."

He chuckled as he studied her face. "And what makes you think that Temperance Brennan is the person that would make me happy?"

She smirked at him and withdrew her hand. "Because of the way your eyes light up every time you say her name…and her nickname."

Before he had a chance to reply to her observation, the slew of parents around them stood and began cheering again. He and Rebecca returned their attention to the game in time to see the little boy who had been at bat running toward first base as their son began his trek toward home plate.

Booth jumped to his feet and watched as his son reached home base giving his team the winning run.

"Let's go congratulate our son Seeley," Rebecca said as she took his hand.

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Pulling his ID card from the pocket of his blue jeans, Booth entered the Medico-Legal lab and was greeted by an almost eerie silence. Even the squints took Saturdays off—with the exception of his partner of course. He found her bent over the remains of their latest victim, her eyes slowing scanning the bones drinking in every detail.

He stopped and watched her for a moment. She was attractive—there was no denying that fact. Of course, Booth knew that he had never denied that fact so much as he tried to concentrate on her other attributes such as her tendency to drive him insane with her constant anthropological takes on every day occurrences.

"_Seeley, all I'm saying is don't let another moment pass you by." _

But getting caught up in a moment could ruin what we already have, he reasoned. As he watched her tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and move around the examination table, Booth realized that his relationship with Brennan was unlike any other he'd ever had with a woman.

He couldn't deny the sexual tension that existed between them but neither could he deny how much she truly meant to him. If their partnership or friendship ever ended, Booth knew it would hurt him deeply. He also knew how much she needed him. It wasn't an arrogant assertion on his part—Brennan had very few people she actually trusted and he felt lucky that he was in that circle. She would never admit to needing anyone but he knew better. He had witnessed the vulnerable side of Brennan that was not buried as deep as some people thought.

In the last week, since Cam's attempt to have him and Brennan present falsified information to the State Department on a case, Booth had noticed that she had pulled back slightly from her team. Although Cam had told them that she had forced Angela, Jack and Zach to go along with her attempt, he knew that Brennan had been wary of her team lately. Yes lately the only person she seemed to trust completely was him.

He made his way to the platform area and scanned his card. After taking the steps two at a time, he sauntered over to his partner.

"Where's the rest of the team?" He looked around at the empty platform. Before he had left two hours ago, the squint squad had been hanging around…doing their squinty things.

"It's a Saturday afternoon Booth—they had plans." She continued to write down her observations on her clipboard.

"Even Zach?"

"He mentioned something about a performance artist and rabbits…"

"Kinky."

Ignoring his comment, she moved to the terminal on the other side of the examination table and picked up Angela's sketch pad. "Angela gave our Jane Doe a face before she left for her date and Hodgins checked over the particulates from the remains before he left for his date."

Brennan handed Angela's rendering of the victim and Hodgins' report to him.

"And where's Cam?" he asked as he looked around the lab once again.

"She said something about a steamy dinner date and left about thirty minutes ago," Brennan answered as she sighed. "So how was Parker's game?"

"His team won. I would have been back sooner but we went for ice cream…"

"Booth, you don't have to explain. There's nothing you could have done here anyway."

"That's not true Bones. I could've kept you company."

She glanced up at him and smiled. "I'm glad you didn't miss your moment with Parker."

He stared at her as his mouth went dry. This was another moment between _them_. "Oh…um, you know, even if I had, I would have plenty of other moments…with him."

"Hopefully Angela's sketch will help you when you search the missing persons database," Brennan said as she switched topics on him. "Zach started the process of identifying her through her dental work but we've been unsuccessful so far."

And just like that, another one of their moments had passed.

"Um, okay. Well, why don't we call it a day? You know, enjoy the rest of our weekend. Come on, I'll walk you to your car."

Brennan shook her head at him. "No, I'm going to stay and work a little longer." She resumed her examination and fastidious note taking.

Booth shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and rocked back and forth on the heels of his feet. He knew that he should leave since Cam was waiting for him but he couldn't bring himself to leave Brennan alone.

"You wanna get something to eat?" He began to pray that she would accept his offer.

"You don't have other plans on a Saturday night?" She studied him for a brief moment and tilted her head.

"Well, I…I mean…I do…but it's not a big deal."

She smiled at him again. "I appreciate the offer Booth but you should go and keep your plans. I'll be busy here most of the night anyway."

"Oh, okay. Well then, goodnight Bones." He descended the stairs of the platform and made his way to the exit. He stopped and turned back toward the platform to watch her. _I just wonder how many more moments we'll have_. He sighed and exited the lab.

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Their dinner sat untouched on the dining room table as Booth lifted his body off of Cam. They hadn't even made it to the bedroom this time. He sat up on his couch and reached for his underwear that was lying on the floor. Cam laid back and watched him as he pulled the material up his legs and over his hips. He tossed her shirt and underwear to her before retrieving his jeans.

"Seeley what's wrong?" Her dark eyes followed his movements as he slipped the jeans onto his lower body.

"Nothing Cam. Let's eat before the food gets cold."

"The food's not the only thing getting cold in here." She stood and quickly dressed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind." She walked past him to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. After removing two bottles of beer, she closed the door and walked to the dining room table.

"Cam, I don't think this arrangement is working out…"

"Really? Cause I'm not having a problem with it."

He ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "It needs to end."

"You say that every time Seeley and then we end up right back here…well, usually in the bedroom but you know what I mean."

"Cam, this is not a relationship."

"I know—it's sex. I never said I wanted a relationship Seeley." She crossed her arms and stared at him. "What's really going on here?"

"I just don't think this a good idea anymore. I mean, I'm pretty sure that Hodgins and Angela have figured out what's going on and…"

"And you don't want Brennan to know about it." She grimaced slightly as she said Brennan's name. The woman was brilliant in her field but she had been a thorn in Cam's side since their first encounter. "Why does it bother you so much that she might find out…"

"That I'm sleeping with her boss?" he finished for her. "Look Bones and I have a great partnership and friendship. I'm fairly certain that she would be upset about us simply from the standpoint of how 'this' might compromise a case. Can you imagine if we got to court and this little affair makes its way into the courtroom—our integrity, the evidence, everything would be in question."

"You're full of it you know." She moved past him and grabbed her jacket and purse.

"Cam, come on, you know that I'm right."

"I know that you have a thing for Brennan whether you want to admit it or not. What is it you once told me? Oh yes, 'I'm with Bones, Cam…all the way. Don't ever doubt that.'" Anger flashed through her dark eyes. "If that's the case, then go be with your Bones."

He stood dumbfounded as his words were thrown back at him. He had said it and he had meant it—on so many different levels.

She turned toward the door and opened it. "See you around the lab Seeley," she said coldly. "And don't worry, I won't let Dr. Brennan in on our dirty little secret."

As she slammed the door to his apartment, Booth's gaze dropped to the floor. That was one moment he would have gladly missed if he'd been given the opportunity. Picking up the beer bottles that Cam had left on the table, Booth moved back to the living room area and sat down on the couch.

As much as he had tried to refute Rebecca and Cam's observations about his feelings for Brennan, Booth knew they were right. As he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, he wished with all his heart that he would have another moment with Brennan and that he would have the courage to ensure that he didn't let it pass them by.

**Author's notes: Yeah, yeah, I know. It wasn't that great but I feel better since I finally wrote it. Now back to my other fic….**


	2. Chapter 2

**Moments—Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: Of course they don't belong to me silly people.**

**Author's notes: Okay, so there I was sitting at my laptop, hands hovering above the keyboard, ready to write the next chapter for "A Pain That I'm Used To" when the next potential scene for _this_ story popped into my head. After a "what the f#" moment, I realized that some of the wonderful people who took the time to review were right….this one shot needed a little follow-up. Yes, yes, that will teach me to say that a story is complete. (sigh) So for good or bad (I'll let you folks decide), I ended up writing this chapter. Hopefully it will be at least somewhat enjoyable and if it's not…well, just promise not to throw anything at me that will leave a mark.**

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"Okay my wonderful squints, whatcha got?" Booth scanned his card and quickly ascended the stairs to the platform area. He rubbed his hands together awaiting the impending magical information that Brennan and her team seemed to virtually pull out of thin air. "Lay it on me."

"Lay what on you Agent Booth?" Zach glanced around the platform for any implements the agent could be referring to.

"The information about our victim here, Einstein." His dark eyes focused on Brennan who sat off to the side at one of the terminals away from her team. "Bones, do you have an id on her yet?"

Cool blue eyes, with a hint of exhaustion, met his as she shook her head. "Sorry Booth. Zach has continued to check dental records to no avail." She sighed as she stood and placed her hands in the pockets of her lab coat. "I take it you were unable to match Angela's sketch to anyone in the missing person database."

He watched as she walked over to the examination table and stood beside Angela. There was an aura of sadness surrounding her today as she stared at the remains of the young girl. "No, no luck yet. I'll call and have them widen the search. Maybe she was a runaway from out of state or something."

"It still doesn't explain how a fifteen to seventeen year old girl ends up dead inside a wall in a relatively expensive house," Angela commented as her eyes skimmed over the remains.

"Well, it would have been a relatively expensive house if it hadn't been so dilapidated. She never would have been found if that money hungry real estate team hadn't decided to 'flip' the place and make a nice profit." Booth's eyes traveled over to Hodgins. "How long was she in that wall?"

"Two to three years max," Hodgins answered. "Didn't you say that the house had been vacant for over twenty years?"

Booth nodded as his gaze returned to his partner. He was glad it was just them—her, him and the squints—without Cam. He had spent the remainder of his weekend mulling over his relationship with Brennan, attempting to flesh out his feelings for her.

At the mere thought of "flesh", his mind quickly recalled his early morning dream on Sunday. It had to be a coincidence that she was wearing the same silky blue blouse that he had slowly and methodically unbuttoned in his dream.

"Whoever she was, she died fighting." Brennan's voice, tight with anger, brought him back to the situation at hand. "As I told you at the scene on Saturday, her hyoid bone was broken…"

"So she was strangled to death. Yeah, I remember."

"She also suffered several broken phalanges, the carpal bones in both of her triquetrums…"

"Those are her wrists Agent Booth," Zach explained when he noticed Booth's confused look.

The agent shot him a look as Angela and Hodgins suppressed their laughter.

"The carpel bones were fractured," Brennan continued, ignoring her coworkers. "She also suffered fractures in her right ulna and radius. Since she was right handed it makes sense that she used her dominant hand to fight off her attacker."

"Okay, so that's it?"

"Yes, Booth, for now, that's it."

He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I spent most of the morning talking to the construction crew that was beginning work on the place. Of course they didn't know anything…"

"Previous owners?" Brennan inquired as she looked past Booth at something that caught her attention.

He noticed that her gaze fell on something happening behind his back. Twisting his upper torso slightly to observe what had garnered her attention, Booth saw Cam—Cam and a tall, athletic, trim man with sandy blond hair and rugged tanned features. It was funny how the sight of his ex-lover with another man didn't even faze him. Their time together in the last few weeks had indeed just been sex.

"The, uh, previous owner," he answered as he turned back to his partner, "was a Thomas Fielding, confirmed bachelor…died in 1993."

His revelation about the previous owner was lost on the squints as they stood and watched Cam with her new "friend". Brennan had once again retreated to her original place at one of the terminals.

"Hmmm, looks like Cam's milkshake continues to bring all the boys to the yard," Angela said as she sent a pointed look in Booth's direction. His eyes bore into hers and he knew that she knew. Damn psychic-like Angela.

Her gaze left his, traveling back to Cam and the uber-handsome man with her. Angela's dark eyebrows quirked as Cam pointed to their position on the platform. A few seconds ago, the good Dr. Saroyan had been smiling. The smile had now turned into a small scowl.

Swiping her id card, Cam led the man up to the platform. She paused briefly and stared at Booth with a hint of hurt mixed anger flashing through her dark brown eyes. His gaze quickly found its way to his shoes—a fact that was not lost on Angela or Hodgins.

"Everyone, this is Dr. Sean Weatherman. He is apparently being courted by the Jeffersonian to head the Archeology Department," she announced. "Dr. Weatherman, this is Dr. Jack Hodgins, Zach Addy and Angela Montenegro. And of course, that is Dr. Temperance Brennan."

Sean flashed a smile at the group, allowing his bright green eyes to rest on Brennan, who had once again moved back toward her team.

"Please call me Sean," he requested in a deep voice as he extended his hand to Brennan. She smiled slightly as she accepted his hand. "It's a pleasure to see you again Temperance."

"Sean," she replied as she nodded at him. The air of familiarity between the two doctors struck Booth like a bolt of lightening. Narrowing his eyes, he began mentally sizing up the other man.

Sean eventually released her hand and continued speaking. "Dr. Goodman mentioned that I might want to tour the facility, including your lab, and speak with you and your team."

Before Brennan had the opportunity to respond, Booth stepped forward, placing his body between them. "Special Agent Seeley Booth," he introduced himself. "I'm Bo…uh, Dr. Brennan's partner."

"Oh, nice to meet you too."

"Yeah, I'm sure Cam here was going to get around to introducing me in just a moment." Booth's gaze settled on his former lover for a brief moment. "Anyway, Dr. Woodchuck…"

"Weatherman," the other man corrected.

"Whatever," Booth said dismissively. "Dr. Brennan and her team are busy at the moment with a case. Our case…an FBI case. So unfortunately you're gonna have to take a rain check on that whole touring, speaking thing."

Sean glanced past the agent to the skeletal remains lying on the table. "I'm sorry I didn't realize…"

Brennan stepped past Booth, nudging his shoulder with hers to move him away from Sean. "No, it's okay. We're still attempting to identify her and Booth has currently run out of leads so if you would like to tour the area…"

"I'm not out of leads," Booth countered. "I'm simply waiting on some results…there's a difference Bones."

"Bones?" Sean's brow creased as he stared at Booth.

"Long story," Brennan muttered as she placed her hand on the doctor's arm and turned him away from the others.

He watched as his partner and the archeologist descended the stairs. Had she really just walked away from him and their case? True, at the moment the examination of the body was complete and they didn't have anyone to interview but they still hadn't discussed possible motives for the crime. He had anticipated sitting at the diner, smacking her hand as she stole one of his fries, listening to her chide him as he threw out hypothetical situations of how their vic had ended up in that wall—sharing their usual moment.

Cam moved past him and the others, heading for her office, a smirk firmly in place on her face.

"Looks like he wasn't interested in _Cam's_ milkshake," Angela muttered just loud enough for Booth to hear.

He glared at her as he followed Cam's path to her office.

Entering the sterile area, he slammed the door behind him. Placing his hands on his hips, Booth paced in front of Cam's desk. "I think we need to discuss how to proceed with our professional working relationship…."

"I think I was very professional out there," the pathologist countered coolly as she sat down behind her desk.

He stopped pacing and ran his right hand over his face. "Angela knows," he said with a sigh.

"Knows or suspects? There's a difference." Their eyes met and they stared at each other for a long moment. Cam smiled and shook her head. "Seeley, it doesn't matter if any of them know or even think they know. What we do…what we _were_ doing…is none of their business."

Sighing again, he dropped his lean form into a chair across from her. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

She leaned back in her chair and watched him. "I am too. Your concerns do have a certain amount of validity to them…"

He nodded as he leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and resting his head in his hands.

"Ahem, Seeley, this is the part where you say 'and you were right about me having feelings for Brennan'." She laughed as his head shot up and he glared at her. "Don't even try to deny it, please. Not after that display of machismo out there with Dr. Weatherman."

He looked away from her, his gaze traveling to the busy lab area outside her office. Brennan and Sean stood together on one of the platform areas—a little too close together for his taste. The fact that they knew each other and that he had used her first name bothered Booth greatly. Had Sean been one of her "on occasion" guys? Not that he had any right to judge her or her choices, especially in light of the choices he'd made as of late.

"Bones definitely factored into my decision, Cam—_that_ I won't deny."

"Okay, fair enough." She smiled at him again as he turned his face toward her.

"So are we okay? I mean, this isn't going to affect our cases, right? Or the way you work with the team?"

"Seeley, I am a professional person. I am a damn good pathologist and I want to ensure that each and every one of the victims that pass through this lab get the justice they deserve. Whatever happened…or happens…between us is not going to affect that." She paused taking a deep breath. "I don't really understand why I was so mad at you on Saturday. We were just having fun…"

He grinned at her. "Yeah, it was fun."

"You know if you change your mind…."

"I won't."

"You might."

He stood and adjusted his tie. "But I won't Cam." He offered her a friendly smile before he walked to the door.

"Seeley, you may want to reassess your relationship with Brennan, especially if you don't intend on making a move."

He turned and stared at her.

"Dr. Weatherman out there….let's just say that it doesn't take a genius to see that he likes Brennan. She could be a deciding factor for him joining the Jeffersonian."

Booth quickly turned and exited her office. As the door slowly closed behind him, the sight of Brennan touching Sean's arm as they stood near the lab's exit assaulted his eyes.

"Crap," he whispered.

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"I must say, Temperance this lab…this whole place is quite impressive." He smiled at her and chuckled. "I can certainly understand why you turned down Stanford's offer a few years ago."

She shrugged as she returned his smile. "You're also looking at Stanford I suppose, since their department is in need of an archeology director."

"I am," he said as he nodded his head. "Well I appreciate you taking time away from your busy FBI case to show me around. I certainly have a lot of things to consider." He stepped forward, moving closer to Brennan. "I think you should consider something as well."

"What would that be?" She wasn't uncomfortable with Sean's close proximity. He was a familiar presence although it had been awhile since their last contact. Brennan languidly took in his chiseled features and his strong upper torso as she breathed in the clean scent of his cologne.

"Have dinner with me tonight," he answered. "I know you're busy but surely you have time for food and…"

Brennan smiled at him as she touched his arm. "And drinks?"

"Okay," he said as he chuckled. "Let's say seven o'clock, you meet me in the lobby of my hotel. I think I saw a nice Italian restaurant nearby."

"Seven. Sounds good."

He backed away, walking backward toward the exit. "I'll see you tonight."

Angela stood nearby and watched the exchange between her best friend and Sean. After the archeologist left the lab, she approached Brennan.

"Big date with Indiana Jones tonight sweetie?"

"No, I'm having dinner with Sean," Brennan replied as she turned and began walking to her office. Angela rolled her eyes and quickly followed.

"How do you know Dr. Hottie anyway?" She took a seat on the couch in Brennan's office as her friend removed her lab coat and placed it on the coat rack near her desk.

"His name is Sean, Angela. And we met two years ago while he was on a dig in the Middle East."

"The Middle East? That really narrows it down Bren."

"I was on an assignment for Homeland Security—I can't say where in the Middle East I met him." Brennan took a seat behind her desk and logged into her email.

"That's convenient," Angela said as she chuckled. "Did you two date?"

"No." Brennan's typing filled the room as silence hung between the two friends. She didn't feel the need to feed Angela's fantasies about her sex life.

"Bren, sweetie, is something bothering you?" Angela settled further into the couch, making herself comfortable. "It seems like you've been avoiding me…and the others…lately."

"I'm fine Angela." Her eyes never left the monitor.

She knew Angela was right—she had been avoiding her and the rest of the team. They worked together but beyond that, she had not been out with her team—correction, Cam's team—since their self-proclaimed ring leader had perverted evidence to achieve her definition of justice. Even if it meant the possibility of a killer going free, Brennan knew she could never alter the truth of her findings. The truth—backed by undeniable scientific findings—was what mattered most. And Brennan's team, her friends, the people she thought searched for truth with her, had gone along with Cam's plan.

"No, you're not fine. Something is bothering you and it started a few weeks ago…" A realization suddenly dawned on Angela. "Is this about Cam and Booth's relationship?"

Brennan's hands stilled on her keyboard and she slowly turned to face her friend. "Relationship?"

"Oookay, so that's not what's bothering you," Angela attempted to backtrack the conversation.

"Booth and Dr. Saroyan are dating?"

"I don't know about dating but they are…you know."

"Sleeping together?"

"I don't think it's affecting how we do things around here," Angela said quickly. "I mean, they haven't been so obvious about it that you noticed it so their 'relationship' shouldn't affect any of our cases…"

"Let's drop this subject Angela. I'm fairly certain that it falls within the parameters of gossip." She turned back to her monitor and swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

What was the sensation coursing through her chest? Why did she suddenly feel sick to her stomach? There was no logical reason for her to feel _anything_ about Booth's relationship with her boss. Cam and Booth shared a history—a history that included sleeping together. They had a sexual rapport and it was instinctual for one to seek out a partner with whom they shared that rapport. It was the same anthropological reasoning she had given Booth for his fling with Rebecca. Why didn't her sound logical reasoning make her feel any better at the moment?

"Okay, Bren, if it's not _that_, then what's bothering you?" Persistence was Angela Montenegro's middle name.

"Ange," Brennan sighed. "I have a lot of work to complete before I meet Sean for dinner. We'll talk some other time."

"I'm going to hold you to that sweetie." She lifted herself from the couch and left her very conflicted friend pondering the sudden intense burst of emotion that had spilled forth with Angela's revelation about Booth.

**Author's notes: Alrighty then, looks like there will be yet another chapter. That is if you all want to read another one….push the button and let me know.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Moments—Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer: The only character that I own in this story is the scrumptious Dr. Sean Weatherman that Howdylynn and I are both crushing on. They wouldn't give me Booth so I had to make up my own version of a perfect hottie. Don't get me wrong, Booth is still 'da man' but…**

**Author's notes: Well, ask and ye shall receive…another chapter anyway. It seems that Chapter 2 didn't suck that much after all so when I awoke at 3 in the morning the other day with part of this chapter mapped out in my brain, I figured I might as well run with it. Keep the reviews coming and I'll do my best to keep the chapters for this and "A Pain That I'm Used To" coming as well. And just in case I didn't mention it earlier—all of the people who reviewed this story 'rock'! Yeah, I never claimed to be cool…**

**Read, enjoy and let me know what you think.**

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He took the long way around the lab, passing the multiple platform areas as he slowly made his way toward the exit. Booth watched as Sean stepped closer to his partner—_what the….was he trying to kiss her?_ What bothered him even more was that Bones didn't step away from him. No, instead she leaned into his space. He slowed his pace a little more and watched intently. Sean backed away with a major grin on his face and exited the lab. Before Booth could reach Brennan, Angela accosted her friend and they were off to Brennan's office.

Refocusing his attention on the exit, Booth quickened his pace and his resolve to have a little talk with Mr. Archeology. He found Sean lingering in the hallway outside the guard's station searching through his coat and pants pockets.

"Lose something?"

Sean turned and chuckled. "Agent Booth. Um, yes, I always have a terrible habit of misplacing my keys…Ah, there they are."

"Hmmm, leaving so soon huh? Well that's too bad." _Get your charismatic, flirting ass out of my lab and away from my… Wait, my what? Bones is not your 'anything' and she would most definitely have something to say about your alpha male dominance and contention that she did, in some way, belong to you. Great, now you're calling yourself an alpha male…damn Bones and her anthropological rants….of all the things to have stuck in your head._

He suddenly realized that Sean's mouth was moving, forming words that he had not registered.

"Yeah, yeah, well that sounds great Woodpecker…"

Sean chuckled again. "Weatherman. And I'm glad you're okay with that because there is a good possibility that I will accept the Jeffersonian's offer…unless of course Stanford makes a counteroffer that I can't pass up."

"And I'm sure they will…it's Stanford. Great place. Probably better than here—at least weather wise, right?" He slapped the other man on the back, once again displaying his dominance and a little bit of his strength.

"Right. Well, it was nice to meet you Agent Booth." Sean jingled his keys in his hand and walked out the exit.

"It was nice to meet you," Booth mocked under his breath.

The truth of the matter was Sean Weatherman was not a bad guy. In fact, Booth's gut told him that he was a good man. He seemed to be the type of guy that Booth and his army buddies would hang out with in a bar or at a barbecue. However, as he watched the doctor saunter through the parking garage, Booth only felt immense hatred for the man. Absolute illogical and unreasonable hatred.

"Stupid, charming…" he stood and muttered under his breath.

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Angela hastily made her way from Brennan's office to Hodgins'. She took a seat beside him as he studied fibers that had been found on the young Jane Doe.

"I accidentally told Bren about Cam and Booth sleeping together," she blurted out in a hushed tone.

Wide blue eyes turned toward her, conveying Hodgins' obvious surprise. "Well I didn't hear any yelling or see any bodies flying by my door so I guess she took it well. Unless of course, she already had her suspicions…"

"Oh, she didn't." Angela chewed on her lower lip, deep in thought and clearly agitated.

Hodgins leaned away from his work area and crossed his arms, watching her intently. "Exactly how did you 'accidentally' dispense this information?"

She sighed as she placed her elbows on the table in front of her and cradled her head in her hands, her fingers becoming lost in her long black hair. Hodgins' heart skipped a beat as he imagined that it was his fingers combing through the soft silky tendrils.

"You know I mentioned to you earlier this week how I felt that Bren has been avoiding me…all of us…"

"Yeah, she started acting weird after the case with Judge Ramos, which was around the same time that _I_ told _you_ about Cam and Booth." The proud smile on his face made Angela chuckle as she lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Okay, okay, so you figured that one out before I did."

"That's what I'm talking about baby…"

"Anyway, after Bren set up a date with Dr. Hottie…"

"She's got a date?"

"One topic at a time Jack," she said in an exasperated tone. "I went to her office in an attempt to gather some information about her obvious past with Sean and she shot me down. So I mentioned how she's been avoiding us and then it dawned on me when that started and I casually, accidentally blurted out the whole Cam and Booth sleeping together thing."

"How upset was she?"

"That's the unsettling part of this…she didn't appear upset. But you know how Bren is—logic overrides emotions."

"But logic didn't override Brennan accepting a date with Rico Suave?" He grinned at her as his question elicited a laugh.

"Hodgy, you really need to update your references," she said as her laughter became a soft chuckle. "Judging from their body language, I would say that Bren and Sean are, um, very well acquainted."

"Hmm, poor Booth."

Angela's dark eyebrows practically shot through the ceiling as she stared at him. "Poor Booth? Are you serious? He jumps into bed with Cam, obviously without a thought as to how it would affect our cases and his relationship with Bren. Even though his little fling with Cam is over now, any chance he had with Brennan is over too."

She quickly stood and made her way to his office door. Her obvious irritation startled Hodgins.

"Wait, Booth and Cam aren't together anymore?"

"Learn how to keep up Jack," she said as she rolled her eyes and exited his office.

Hodgins leaned forward and massaged his temples. "I'm trying to. Man, how does Booth keep his sanity with all his women?"

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Her nimble fingers moving rapidly over the keyboard, detailing the findings of a case, did little to distract Brennan from the newfound knowledge of her partner's "relationship" with her boss. Usually she found work therapeutic—she could lose herself in the intricacies of a case, memorizing each injury the deceased had ever suffered and piecing together what type of life they led. But at the moment, her brilliant mind had replaced images of skeletons with those of Booth in bed with Cam.

She still had been unable to pinpoint the strong emotion she'd felt when Angela had let the news of his affair slip. Brennan's hands became still, resting lightly on her keyboard as she began to contemplate her feelings and the possible logical reasons for them. Her sound reasoning skills were halted by the ringing of her office phone.

"Brennan," she answered curtly.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" Sean's smooth, melodic tone eased some of the tension she'd felt building in the last few minutes.

"Sean, I'm…no, no. I was just working on a few reports."

The sound of his chuckle was warm and playful. "I figured you would get caught up with work and lose track of time…some things never change Temperance."

She glanced at the clock on her wall and noted that it was almost six-thirty. "Your hotel isn't that far from the lab. I can still be there by seven."

"If you're busy I completely understand…"

Smiling at his apologetic tone, Brennan began shutting down her computer. "Actually, I'm not busy but I am hungry." A night out with an old friend was exactly what she needed, she decided.

"Okay, so I'll see you in a few minutes. I'm looking forward to seeing you Temperance."

She listened to the soft click as Sean hung up and sighed. "I am too," she whispered.

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She managed to leave the lab undetected by Angela. While Brennan was not a religious person, she did consider that small act miraculous. Angela had the tenacity of a pit bull sometimes and if she had managed to sink her teeth into Brennan's past with Sean, the artist would have been unstoppable.

As she pulled her silver sports car in front of the hotel, Brennan spotted Sean standing in the lobby near the entrance. She watched as several young women walked past him, offering him flirtatious smiles and flipping their hair. Sean returned the smiles with a friendly nod but kept his focus on the traffic outside the hotel. She noticed how handsome he appeared in his well worn blue jeans, white button up shirt and black leather jacket.

The hotel's valet opened the door of her car for Brennan to exit. She shivered slightly as the cool October air caressed her face and neck. "Thank you," she said as she took the ticket and moved to allow him to enter her car.

Sean moved quickly from the lobby and met her outside. "Nice car Temperance," he said with a wink. "The Jeffersonian must pay you really well."

She grinned at him. "No, it's one of the perks of writing books that people seem to enjoy reading."

"Oh yes, lest I forget that I will be dining with 'author' Dr. Temperance Brennan." The playful gleam in his emerald eyes was unmistakable. He took her right hand in his left and guided her toward the busy sidewalk. They walked in silence for a while, maneuvering around the crowd until they reached the restaurant Sean had mentioned earlier.

He placed his hand on the door and glanced over at Brennan with a smile on his face. "I know, I know…you can open the door for yourself but please indulge me."

"Just this once," she commented as she laughed. Her laughter ceased as Sean placed his hand on the small of her back, immediately bringing thoughts of Booth to her mind.

He noticed the sudden change in her demeanor and brought his face close her hers. "Are you okay?" he whispered in her ear.

"Fine," she answered as her eyes scanned the interior of the restaurant. The setting was warm with dim ceiling lighting and a vast array of candles lit throughout the place. The atmosphere was relaxed and casual and Brennan tried to set her frame of mind to match.

They were seated in a cozy section near one of the large windows displaying the busy downtown area. Sean ordered red wine for them and watched as Brennan perused the menu.

"Do you know what you want?" she asked as she tried to decide between the eggplant parmesan and a linguini dish.

"Yes," he answered as he continued to watch her.

Their waiter returned to the table with their wine and took their orders.

"I have to say that I'm surprised you're not dating anyone Temperance," Sean stated as he poured a glass of wine for her. "Pleasantly surprised, mind you."

She sipped the wine, savoring the bold taste. "I was seeing someone but it ended a few months ago. He found someone else who had time for him—his words."

He watched as her gaze flitted out the window as though she was recalling the painful conversation with her ex. "Was it Agent Booth?"

Brennan's head quickly turned toward him. "What? No! No, Booth and I are partners and…friends." _At least I thought we were._

"I just…well, the way he was acting toward me at the lab earlier…I just thought…"

"No, that's just Booth. You were invading his territory and like any good alpha male he was intent on rooting you out." Brennan took another long drink of her wine, enjoying the warmth that was flowing through her system.

Sean smiled at her, the candle light enhancing the brightness of his green eyes. "And you're sure that _you_ were not the, uh, territory?"

"Absolutely," she answered as she locked eyes with him. "And what about you? You're not dating anyone?"

"No. In fact, I just have gotten back into the dating game—I got divorced six months ago." He laughed at the surprised look that crossed Brennan's face. "I met Renee a few months after you and I parted ways. She was into the whole 'Indiana Jones' mystique…"

"Is he well known in the archeology community? Angela mentioned him to me earlier."

He reached across and took hold of her hand as a chuckle escaped his lips. "He's a fictional movie character."

"Oh," she said as she blushed.

"Don't be embarrassed. I find it refreshing to talk to someone that doesn't have to use a pop culture reference every five seconds." He squeezed her hand and smiled at her. "Anyway, Renee quickly lost interest in the life of an archeologist. We were married for three months. I saw her for two weeks that whole time and she managed to find someone else to keep her company."

"I'm sorry," she replied softly.

"Don't be. If I was still with her then I wouldn't be here with you now."

"Okay, then I'm not sorry," Brennan said as a slow smile spread across her face.

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Booth pulled on the knot of his tie, loosening its hold on his neck. As he stared at the computer screen in his office, he unbuttoned the top of his dress shirt. He glanced at the time on the screen and groaned when he saw that it was ten o'clock at night. Booth pushed his body away from his desk and stood, stretching his tired muscles. Since leaving the lab earlier in the evening, he had gone through every conceivable missing persons file on his desk attempting to match a face with Angela's sketch.

"Agent Booth?" The young male agent hesitantly knocked on his office door. "I have a few more files for you."

Booth dropped his tired body back into his chair and motioned for the agent to come inside the office. "Just put them on my desk."

The young man did as he was told. "So, no luck huh?"

"Way to state the obvious," Booth replied as he leaned forward and opened the file that was sitting on top. He stopped as he stared at the photograph of a young redheaded woman with piercing green eyes. The file identified her as fifteen-year-old Katie Stonestreet from Dover, Delaware who had been missing for two and a half years. Angela's sketch was eerily accurate as Booth placed the sketch next to the last photograph that had been taken of Katie. _I gotta call Bones._

"Is that her?" The forgotten agent leaned forward to study the sketch.

Booth glanced up and glared at him as he reached for his phone. "Why are you still here?"

"Cause you didn't tell me to leave."

"Your last name isn't Addy by any chance is it?" He studied the young man for a moment.

"No sir."

"Out…now." He watched as the agent tripped over his own feet in his haste to leave the office. After dialing the number to Brennan's office, he picked up a pencil and tapped it on the desk. The fact that she didn't answer surprised him—she didn't usually leave the lab before eleven o'clock each night. He dialed her cell phone number next. Maybe she took a break….or maybe she went home early. She did seem tired earlier at the lab.

He hung up and contemplated calling her at home. _No, she needs to rest. We can't do anything tonight anyway._

Sighing heavily, he grabbed the file on Katie and stood. First thing in the morning he would meet Bones at the lab with the new information and then they would travel to Dover to inform the Stonestreet family of their loss.

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They quickly entered the lobby of the hotel to escape the chilly wind whipping through the city.

"Would you like to come up to my suite for coffee?" Sean gathered her hands in his own and stared into her eyes.

"Suite? Wow, the Jeffersonian must really want you." She smiled up at him, her eyes slightly glazed from the wine she had consumed at the restaurant.

He pulled her closer to him. "Just the Jeffersonian?"

"Coffee sounds really good," she said softly.

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Perhaps it was the alcohol or the fact that she had not been with anyone since David, but Brennan found herself reveling in Sean's touch as his hand slid under her shirt. He continued to kiss her as he guided her toward the bed.

She pulled his dress shirt from his jeans and began to lose herself in the moment. The last few weeks had drained her—McVicar's death and her father's apparent involvement; taking someone's life; Cam's hold over her team; and the final straw, Cam's involvement with Booth. Brennan just wanted comfort, even if only for a few hours. She couldn't talk to Angela; and now she felt that she couldn't confide in Booth; but she had Sean, at least for the night.

**Author's notes: Do I hear booing? People cursing my name? Hey, you, stop throwing those rocks! Before you get upset, remember that the story is not over yet. (quickly takes cover to continue working on this story and "A Pain…") I know you all are upset with me—seriously, stop throwing things already—but hang in there with me. I promise I'll make it all better by the end of the story.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Moments—Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except Sean.**

**Author's notes: I was pleasantly surprised by the number of reviews giving Brennan the go ahead to sleep with Dr. Hottie. (wipes off some of the fruit that was thrown by a few readers) To those of you who didn't really like her falling into bed with him, I appreciate that you did not throw anything that really hurt. Sorry for the delay in updating but between work and well, more work, it couldn't be helped. Please read, enjoy and let me know what you think.**

**Oh and amyrb—your reviews can be as short or as long as you wish. I enjoy reading your comments either way.**

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Brennan shifted slightly in her slumber as she felt a hand begin to caress her back. The hand was replaced by a pair of soft lips that started in the middle of her back and traveled slowly up to her right shoulder and then the side of her neck.

"Good morning," Sean whispered in her ear.

_Morning?_ Brennan's eyes flew open and focused on the clock sitting on the nightstand. She pulled away from Sean and reached for the clock. "It's nine o'clock in the morning?"

Tossing the covers to the side, Brennan climbed off the bed and began gathering her clothes to get dressed. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn't have the heart to wake you…Temperance, slow down." He climbed off the bed and grabbed her hand.

She pulled her hand away and stared at him. "I have to get to the lab Sean. Booth and I have a case…"

"I'm…I'm sorry. You just seemed like you needed the rest…"

She continued to button her blouse as her eyes scanned the room for her jacket and shoes. "Good luck with your Stanford interview," she said as she crossed the room and slipped her boots on her feet.

"Actually I think I'm going to forgo the Stanford interview and take the position with the Jeffersonian…if you're okay with that." He watched as she paused, letting the information sink in.

"Don't factor me or what happened between us last night into your career decisions Sean." Her eyes bore into his. "I don't have the time or the inclination for a relationship right now. If you want to work at the Jeffersonian, that's great; the department will be lucky to have you."

She grabbed her jacket and walked out the bedroom door with Sean trailing behind her. "Temperance, I'm sorry…that's not what I meant." He placed his hand on the door of the suite as she moved to open it. "I'm not going to lie and say that I wouldn't love for something more to happen between us, but I remember very clearly your views on marriage and relationships." He sighed as he continued, "I've decided that the Jeffersonian has better equipment and obviously better funding—I would be insane to go anywhere else."

"Why would you care if I was okay with that?"

He sighed and moved his hand from the door to caress the side of her face. "I asked you that because I didn't want you to think that last night factored into my decision….looks like I failed there, huh?"

She smiled at him as she removed his hand from her face. "From a scientific point of view, it's better to collect all of the data from the available sources and study the findings before committing to one possible conclusion."

Sean narrowed his eyes at her and grinned. "You managed to spout that out at this early hour?"

Opening the door, she moved past him. "It's not early…especially since I'm running late."

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Booth entered the lab with Katie's file in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He was willing to risk Brennan's wrath about food and drink in the lab area this morning for the much needed caffeine. Upon seeing that her office door was closed and there were no lights on, he turned his attention to the platform.

"Here kid," he said as he tossed the file to Zach after ascending the stairs. "I've identified our Jane Doe."

"You know Bren doesn't allow food or drink on the platform areas Booth," Angela stated as she took the file from Zach's hand. "Katie Stonestreet…poor girl…"

"Yeah," Booth agreed softly. "So where's Bones? I tried to call her last night to let her know I matched your sketch to our victim but she didn't answer."

"She's running late, man," Hodgins offered as he and Angela shared a knowing look.

"Bones is running late? Is she all right?" He lowered the coffee cup from his lips, concern for his partner evident in his eyes.

"Hodgins and Angela have a theory that her tardiness is somehow correlated to sex," Zach explained.

"Kid, all women run late sooner or later…anthropological inevitability." He smiled at his own explanation as he brought his coffee to his lips again.

"No, Agent Booth I don't mean sex as in 'gender', I mean sex as in 'got some'," the protégé patiently explained.

Booth choked on the coffee as it began to slide down his throat. Angela's jaw dropped and she glanced over at Hodgins. "Did you teach him that?"

Hodgins pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "Our little boy is growing up."

Booth continued to cough and sputter as he spotted Brennan entering the lab at ten o'clock. She quickly made her way to her office and just as quickly exited her office in her lab coat, pulling her hair into a ponytail.

"Morning sweetie," Angela said as Brennan joined them. "Booth found out who our victim is." She handed the file to Brennan who quietly read through it.

"Bones you're late…"

"And you're drinking coffee in my lab," she countered as she continued to read the file. Actually, she found herself wishing that she had stopped at the coffee shop near her apartment after she had showered and changed clothes.

"Did you oversleep?"

"Yes."

Angela and Hodgins watched the exchange with great interest. "How was your dinner with Dr. Weatherman last night?" Hodgins asked. He immediately regretted the question as soon as Angela placed her elbow sharply in his sternum.

"Good," Brennan answered.

"You had dinner with _him_ last night? Was it a 'working dinner'?" Booth asked as he used air quotes to indicate his sarcasm.

Brennan stared at him as she placed the file on the table. "Yes, 'partly'," she answered, also using air quotes.

"Why are you using air quotes?"

"Because you did."

"But I was being….okay, you know what? Never mind, Bones. Grab your bag and jacket, we're going to Dover." He grabbed the file and stormed off the platform.

"What's his problem?" She watched as Booth exited the lab. Obviously he intended for her to meet him outside.

"You were tardy," Zach explained.

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"She had dinner with him…she slept with him….," he muttered to himself as he climbed into the SUV. He knew that he had no right to be as angry as he was but he couldn't help himself. Just when he had reached the conclusion that he wanted Temperance Brennan in his life as more than his partner or his friend, another man comes along and steals his chance. Any possible moment between them was lost.

He saw her exit the lab and take a deep breath before trekking toward the SUV. She seemed hesitant to join him and he realized that his behavior may have offended her. Brennan opened the passenger's door and placed her bag on the floorboard before climbing inside.

They rode along in an uncomfortable silence for thirty minutes before Booth finally spoke. "Did you and what's his face have a nice dinner last night?"

Brennan stared out the window and sighed. "Perhaps our partnership would be more effective if we didn't discuss our personal lives."

His grip tightened on the steering wheel. "I was just asking if you had a nice dinner Bones. It's not like I was asking if he was any good in bed." The words were out of his mouth before he realized what he had said.

She turned her face toward him, her eyes narrowed. "It would be a good idea to discontinue this conversation…"

"Or what?"

"Or perhaps we would have to discuss how your sexual relationship with Dr. Saroyan could potentially affect our cases."

Booth nearly ran off the road as she disclosed her knowledge of his activities with her boss.

"How did…I…I was going to…."

"Booth, I believe that our time would be better spent concentrating on the case at hand instead of who is sleeping with whom." She returned her focus to the passenger's side window.

There was only one person who could have told her—Booth made a silent vow to kill Angela when he returned to the lab.

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The trip should have taken a little over two hours but road construction and traffic jams lengthened their tense journey by another hour and a half. Brennan had managed to stay focused on the case file or their surroundings while Booth drove. She could sense his need to talk to her. Her peripheral vision caught him several times turning his head as if to speak and then quickly turning his attention back to the road, as if he was revising what he had intended to say.

Brennan realized that she was being silly and somewhat vindictive but there was a part of her—a part that had tossed aside all logic—that wanted Booth to hurt as much as she did. _Wait, hurt? Why would I be hurt by him sleeping with Cam? No, I'm not hurt…I'm disappointed. Of all the people he could have chosen, he resorts to his ex-lover who happens to be my boss. No, I'm not hurt._ As much as she tried to convince herself of that, Brennan couldn't shake the newfound feeling.

Booth slowed the SUV as they entered a nice working class neighborhood and watched as children played in a few of the front yards along the street. He stopped the vehicle in front of a quaint one story home and glanced over at Brennan.

"1287 Pleasant Street."

She glanced down at the file, noting the address and nodded. "It's not going to be very pleasant today…"

The couple quickly climbed out of the SUV. Booth moved swiftly to catch up with his partner, placing his hand on the small of her back. He felt her stiffen under his touch but he refused to move his hand.

"Temperance, I am really sorry about…you know. I just…it sorta happened…"

"Booth, now is not the time to discuss this," she whispered as they approached the door. She reached out and pressed the doorbell before he could respond. The crestfallen expression on his face tugged at her heart and she quickly turned away from him.

A large overweight man answered the door with a cigarette in his mouth and a beer in his hand. "We don't want whatever you're sellin'." He moved to shut the door but was stopped by Booth who waved his badge in front of the man.

"Mr. Carl Stonestreet? I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth and this is my partner Dr. Temperance Brennan."

The man's eyes narrowed as he blew smoke in the agent and anthropologist's faces. Brennan lowered her head and coughed. "Yeah…what's the FBI doin' here at my door?"

"It's about Katie, sir. May we come in?"

"Ka…Katie," he muttered softly.

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Carl and his wife Margie sat in the chairs across from Booth and Brennan, who had settled together on a small loveseat. Margie Stonestreet remained very still throughout the conversation and Brennan knew the gaunt woman was in shock. Thus far, they had learned that Katie had been a rebellious teenager whose angry behavior had hurt her family. She had packed a small bag of clothes one night two years ago, climbed out her bedroom window in the middle of the night and ran away.

"And you're sure that it's Katie?" Carl continued to ball his right fist as though he wanted to punch something.

"I would like to collect DNA swabs from both of you to ensure the identity of the remains…" Brennan paused upon noticing Booth's glare. It was "the look"—the one that told her she was being an insensitive cold scientist and wasn't "human" enough. Generally that look made her feel inadequate but today…today it angered her. She narrowed her eyes and returned a look of her own.

"There ain't no point in gettin' my DNA. I ain't Katie's real father…I adopted her when she was six after me and Margie got married."

Booth nodded and glanced over at Margie. "Mrs. Stonestreet, are you okay with submitting to a DNA test?"

The frail woman nodded slightly. "Of course," she whispered.

Brennan removed the necessary implements from her bag and approached Margie. She opened the cotton tipped swab and instructed the woman, in a soft voice, to open her mouth. After retrieving her samples, Brennan stood and faced Booth indicating that she was ready to leave.

"Have you talked to Katie's boyfriend yet?" Carl asked just before he took a long swig of his beer.

"Boyfriend? Do you know his name?" Booth opened his small notepad, preparing to write down the information.

"Lucas Barnes….he's the piece of crap she ran away with. Last I heard the weasel was living in DC. He's a struggling artist or some stupid thing like that." He crushed the beer can in left hand and slammed it down on the table. "I can guarantee that he killed my baby."

"We'll talk to him, sir." Booth closed his notepad and placed it his back pocket. "Thank you for your time." He motioned for Brennan to move toward the door.

Once they were outside, she took a deep breath of air in an effort to clear her lungs of the second hand smoke she had inhaled inside the residence.

"Okay," Booth began as he clapped his hands together, "we've got a real good suspect at the top of the list now…"

"The boyfriend? You've not even talked to him and you assume that he's guilty." She walked swiftly along the walkway toward the SUV. A slight drizzle had begun to fall while they had conducted their interview and dark clouds had made their way above the town.

He heard thunder booming in the distance as he jogged to catch up with her. "Well who else is there? She ran away with him and she ends up dead, buried in a wall…I don't think my assumption is off base here Bones."

They paused at the passenger's door of the SUV and stared at each other for a moment. "I just think it's better to wait and have all of the facts before jumping to conclusions," Brennan said in a soft voice.

His expression softened. "Are you referring just to the case or…?"

She turned away from him and opened the door, hoping that he would take the hint to drop the still very sore subject of his relationship with Cam. He stood outside the door and watched as she buckled her seatbelt before slowly walking to the driver's side and entering the vehicle.

"It's almost four o'clock Bones. Let's stop and have something to eat before we get back to DC."

"I'm not hungry. Let's just go back to the lab." She stared out the window at the Stonestreet's home, watching the light from the television cast shadows on the thin curtains.

Expelling a long breath, Booth started the vehicle and pulled away from the curb. "Have it your way Bones," he said softly.

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The rain pelted the SUV violently as Booth slowly drove along the road. Most of the other vehicles had pulled off onto the sides of the road to wait out the storm. The windshield wipers were on full blast as was the defrost in an effort to clear the fog that had accumulated on the windows inside the SUV.

"I can't see a damn thing," he muttered.

Brennan removed a towel from her bag and began wiping down the inside of the front windshield. She moved closer to Booth, placing her hand on his leg to balance herself as she cleared his side of the windshield. He took the opportunity to breathe in the scent of her perfume mingled with the scent of her shampoo. He frowned the moment she removed her hand and moved back to her seat.

"Thanks Bones."

She simply nodded in response as she placed the towel back in her bag.

"Is there anything you don't have in there my little Girl Scout?" he teased as he switched on his hazard lights and continued to slowly move along the road, which was quickly flooding.

"I was never a Girl Scout."

"It was a joke Bones…" A loud popping noise interrupted their banter as Booth struggled to keep the SUV from going off the road. He slammed his hand against the steering wheel after he had managed to stop the vehicle. "That's just great!"

"What?"

"We've got a flat tire."

Brennan stared at him for a moment, digesting the tidbit of information until she came to a logical conclusion. "Well, get out and change it."

"In this typhoon?!"

"This is not a typhoon. It's a thunderstorm that has created a potential flood threat…"

Booth opened the door and climbed out of the SUV before she could continue her weather forecast. The cold rain soaked his clothing instantly, causing his shirt and pants to stick to his lean form. Water seeped into his shoes and crawled up his pant legs as he moved to the back of the SUV to retrieve the jack and the spare tire.

"It's not a typhoon…it's a thunderstorm…" he mimicked Brennan. "Did Sean the meteorologist teach her that in bed last night?" He snickered at his own joke—Weatherman, meteorologist. His sense of humor vanished when he opened the back of the SUV and discovered that there was no spare tire in the compartment.

"Hey Bones, you wouldn't happen to have a spare tire in that bag would ya?"

"Booth I think it's fairly obvious that a tire could not fit into this bag…wait, you don't have a spare?" She twisted around in her seat and stared at her very wet, very angry partner.

"You wanna get out of the nice dry car and check for yourself?"

Brennan leaned down and removed a small umbrella from her bag. She quickly made her way around the vehicle and joined Booth, who glared at her.

"You had an umbrella and you didn't offer it to me?"

She smirked at him. "You didn't ask if I had an umbrella. You asked if I had a spare tire," she stated as she examined the empty contents of the back compartment.

His jaw clenched as he removed his cell phone from his jacket and tried to dial a number. "No service," he growled as the rain rolled off of Brennan's umbrella onto the top of his head. "What about yours?"

She slid her cell phone from her jacket and checked the small screen. "Same thing—no service."

"Let's start walking." He slammed the rear door of the SUV as hard as he could to relieve some of his frustration.

"Wait! Start walking? Where?" Brennan stood for a second and watched as Booth stalked away from her and the SUV.

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Fifteen long miserable minutes later, they reached the motel that Booth had seen earlier in the day. It was a rundown, cheap, rent a room by the hour kind of place but it offered shelter from the storm and it had a diner next door.

Booth glanced over at Brennan and smirked. Her long hair was plastered to her head and her clothes were as soaked as his. Her little umbrella had not been a match for the ferocity of the rain and wind. He nearly burst into a fit of laughter as he looked down at her right pant leg that was covered with mud. The memory of her stepping directly into the mud hole was extremely amusing—well at least to him. Booth watched her shiver and his amusement was momentarily curbed.

"Booth," she said as her teeth chattered, "we cannot stay here."

They moved swiftly through the parking lot. "And why not?"

"They rent rooms by the hour. Even _I _know what that means…"

"Care to share _how _you know what that means?" His lame attempt at humor earned a glare from his partner. "Look Bones, it's a warm, dry place to stay for the evening. Plus we can get something to eat next door…"

"Or at the very least food poisoning," she countered.

"Bones…"

"Fine." She watched as he opened the door to the small lobby area and motioned for her to go in first. "It couldn't get much worse, could it?"

"That's the spirit!" He rang the small bell sitting on the counter to announce their presence.

An elderly gentleman approached the counter, offering them a smile. "Well hello there folks…"

"Hi, we need two rooms for the evening please." Booth retrieved his wallet from his soaked pants and watched as water poured from the inside of the wallet onto the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry, we've only got one left," he informed them. "What with the weather and then our regular customers…" He winked at Booth.

Brennan tapped Booth's shoulder to get his attention. "I think it just got worse."

**Author's notes: Sorry to leave you hanging there…okay, not really. (laughs maniacally) That's payback for some of the fruit that was tossed my way. (wink) Now I'm off to work on the next chapter of "A Pain That I'm Used To" so that maybe, hopefully I can post it later tonight or sometime tomorrow. Leave a review and let me know what you think so far…**


	5. Chapter 5

**Moments—Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, right, I own them. (Any attorneys for the FOX network that are reading this please take note of the sarcasm.)**

**Author's notes: (peers over a massive cereal box fortress and eyes BonesDBchippie cautiously) Do you have any idea how many boxes of Maple Brown Sugar Mini-Wheats I had to eat to build this? Is that a fruit slushie in your hand? Ewww, why is it green? What the hell kind of fruit did you and Jaed mix together?**

**(glances over at Howdylynn and grins) Liked the old clichéd "we only have one room left" twist, did you? Yes, it was trite, classic and formulaic but darn it I couldn't resist! And Booth with his clothes soaked and sticking to his body…oh yeah.**

**(steals another glance at BonesDBchippie before looking at mendenbar) Thanks for the tip on the fruit. Does it also apply to fruit slushies?**

**(smiles at NakedQuidditchFan) You're not alone in thinking like Brennan! I, too, had that thought but I wanted to end the last chapter on an amusing note. I had the phone thing worked out in my head for this chapter. Don't worry, they stick around at the motel.**

**(pats elliot02uk on the back) My poor Jean…I managed to depress you with my other story and fill you with hate for Sean in this one. I would offer you a chocolate covered Booth but I'm afraid you might OD. Chin up, my friend. I'll make it all better in both stories.**

**And to everyone else, thanks for reading and special thanks, as always, for your wonderful reviews.**

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"I think it just got worse."

Booth rolled his eyes at her and turned back to the elderly motel owner. "Okay, how much for a room…"

Brennan tapped his shoulder again, a little harder than last time. "Why don't you use his phone to call whoever you were going to call earlier?"

He sighed as he turned to face her again. Did the thought of spending time with him now bother her that much? Had his mistake with Cam completely destroyed his relationship with Bones?

"Fine," he said as he turned back to the man. "Sir, could I use your phone to call for a tow truck? We got a flat tire about a half a mile down the road."

The elderly man chuckled as he placed the phone on top of the counter for Booth to use. "You can try to get someone to help you out son but I can guarantee that no one in their right mind is coming out to tow your car in this downpour. The roads are flooded and the rain is not letting up. As for your tire…well, Ronnie's Tire World is about two miles down the road and he's closed until nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

A smile tugged at Booth's lips as he once again faced Brennan. "Any other suggestions? Or do you have a magic carpet in your bag that we can ride back to DC?"

"What's the sudden fascination with the contents of my bag?"

She stared at him as she mulled over her options. She could call Angela but she didn't really want to risk her friend's safety in this weather. More importantly she didn't want to hear Angela's innuendo laced comments about her being stranded at a motel with Booth.

"You know if you call Angela you'll never hear the end of this," he stated as a huge grin appeared on his face.

Damn him and his uncanny ability to read her mind sometimes. Droplets of water rolled down her face and off the end of her nose as she hugged herself even tighter in a vain attempt to keep warm.

"Just pay for the damn room," she muttered.

The motel owner removed the phone from the top of the counter replacing it with a room key and smiled at the couple. Booth opened his wallet again and removed a credit card. "How much for the room?"

"I'll charge you nice folks eighty-five bucks for the night." He took Booth's card and then returned it a moment later with a receipt for him to sign.

As Booth scribbled his signature on the piece of paper, he noticed Brennan shivering once again. The motel owner noticed as well and offered a small smile.

"Do you two have a change of clothes?" he asked as he placed the receipt with Booth's signature in his cash drawer.

"No, we hadn't planned on staying in Delaware overnight," the agent conceded.

"Well, for twenty bucks I'll let you have this pair of men's flannel pajamas." He reached under the counter and pulled out a package of green and blue plaid pajamas.

Brennan and Booth's eyebrows both quirked at the man's offer.

"You just happen to have pajamas for sell?" Booth narrowed his eyes at the man as he reached inside his wallet for his money. Hell, to change out of the wet clothes currently stuck to his body, he would pay a hundred and twenty dollars.

The elderly man grinned at the agent. "Son, sometimes the women around here take more than just a man's wallet. After a few naked patrons, well, I decided that this was a good side business."

Brennan rolled her eyes at the type of establishment she and Booth were being forced to inhabit for the evening.

Booth simply shook his head and removed two sopping wet twenty dollar bills from his wallet. "Fine, we need two pairs…"

"Only got the one."

"And it just keeps getting worse," Brennan said as she grabbed the key to their room off the counter and stalked out the door.

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Quickly unlocking the door to the room, Brennan stepped inside, her hand fumbling along the side of the wall for the light switch. As she finally located the switch, light flooded the room and flickered as lightening flashed outside, quickly followed by a booming round of thunder.

She glanced around the room and was surprised by how clean it appeared. She warily eyed the queen size bed and noted that there was not a couch for a certain FBI agent to sleep on. Brennan continued to take a quick inventory of the room—a small table with two chairs, a television bolted to the dresser and two nightstands, one with a copy of the Holy Bible prominently displayed on top of it.

Spying the heat register on the wall near the entrance to the bathroom, Brennan walked over and turned the dial to seventy-two degrees. She then walked over to the closet and removed several hangers, placing them on the bed. Logically she knew that she and Booth could not sleep in wet clothes.

Booth entered the room, with the package of pajamas in his hand, and found her removing her jacket. He tossed the package on the bed and smiled sheepishly.

"At least one of us will have dry clothes to sleep in tonight," he offered as he watched her hang her soaked jacket in the closet.

She sighed as she turned to face him. "Don't be ridiculous Booth. I'll take the shirt and you can have the pants. As for sleeping arrangements…"

They both glanced over at the bed and then at each other. Booth gulped as the images of his dreams involving a certain anthropologist flashed through his head.

"It's a big bed," he finally said.

"And we're both adults," she added.

"And I can control myself," he said, offering his most charming smile.

Brennan grabbed a few hangers and the pajamas from the top of the bed and stalked toward the bathroom. "Apparently not," she mumbled as she slammed the door.

He stood next to the bed for a few minutes and stared at the bathroom door. Her comment had obviously been about him and Cam. He had no clue how he was going to repair the damage he had caused. Booth didn't know what hurt more—her seeming rejection of him or her lack of trust in him. The sound of the shower broke his reverie and he walked over to the bathroom door.

"Hey Bones, you hungry?" He knocked on the door but didn't receive an answer. "I'm going next door to the diner so…I guess I'll, uh…I'll get something for you too…"

He stepped away from the door and picked up the key before exiting the room. Swiftly moving through the unrelenting rain, he made his way across the parking lot to the diner. As he entered the warm restaurant, Booth inhaled the heavenly aroma of coffee, burgers and fries. He rubbed his hands together and licked his lips.

A middle-aged woman of average height with a little extra weight around her stomach and hips approached him and smiled. "Hey there honey. Looks like you got caught out in this big bad storm."

"Yeah, looks like." He smiled at her as he walked toward the counter and sat down.

"What can I get for you tonight, handsome?"

"Well," he began as he eyed her name tag, "Eve, I need two cheeseburgers, fries and a couple of soft drinks to go."

"Sure thing." She turned toward the kitchen area and yelled. "Hal, two burgers with cheese and put some more fries on!"

Booth glanced around the restaurant and smiled. It reminded him of the diner that he and Brennan had begun to frequent while Wong Foo's was temporarily closed. He guessed that even Sid needed a vacation now and then.

A slow smile crept over his face as a plan to create a moment between himself and Brennan entered his mind.

"Hey Eve, can you put two orders of fries with just one of those burgers?"

"Sure sweetie pie. So no fries with the other one?"

"Nope, just the burger for that one order."

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Hot water cascaded down her body as Brennan stood in the shower, relishing the warmth. She had heard Booth's question about whether she was hungry but had declined to answer, finding herself still in a vindictive mood as far as he was concerned. Try as she might, Brennan could not shake the feeling of hurt she had tried to deny. And it wasn't just Booth—it was her team, her friends, especially Angela…

She sighed as she placed her already wet head under the warm stream of water and rolled her shoulders to release some of her tension. Her night with Sean had provided a temporary haven from the past few weeks of mounting tension, frustration and even the nightmares that had plagued her after the shooting. She rubbed her hands over her face in an effort to erase the eerie images of that night from her mind—to erase the image of Gil Lappin's eyes staring up at her as blood seeped out of his chest.

When Cam had been informed of the shooting and Brennan's part in it, she had tried to force the anthropologist to see a therapist before being allowed to return to work. Ignoring Brennan's protest, Cam had ordered her to be at the therapist's office at the appointed time or face the consequences. Two hours later Booth had strolled into her office and announced that Cam had changed her mind—Brennan was **_encouraged_** but not required to speak with a therapist about the incident. She remembered how Booth had smiled at her as he leaned against the door jamb of her office. _"You know you can always talk to me, right Bones? Anytime, no matter what."_

As she turned the shower knobs to the off position and grabbed a towel to dry her body, Brennan pondered his offer. She had woken up many nights from a nightmare in the past two weeks and reached for her phone to call him…just to hear him tell her that it would be alright. And that's when she would see Jasper sitting on her nightstand, reminding her that she would be okay—that she had a friend, a partner, who would always make sure of that. Did the fact that he was sleeping with her boss change that?

For some inexplicable reason, it did. She couldn't explain why it did but it had changed her perception of the person she trusted more than she had allowed herself to trust anyone in a long time.

After drying herself with a towel, Brennan slipped the large pajama shirt over her torso and buttoned it. She checked her underwear which she had placed over the heat vent in the bathroom and found it to be dry enough to wear. She placed her remaining wet clothes on hangers and exited the bathroom to find Booth sitting at the small table with two styrofoam containers and cups.

Booth glanced up, immediately noticing her long bare legs. The shirt hit her mid-thigh and she had rolled up the cuffs of the shirt a couple of times. He continued to stare as she walked over to the closet, hung up her remaining clothes and rubbed her wet hair with a towel.

"I got us some food," he managed to say as she turned back toward him.

"Okay." She moved toward the table and took a seat beside him. As she opened her container of food, she realized how hungry she really was.

Glancing over at Booth, her brow was knit in confusion. "No fries?"

He opened his container exposing a mountain of warm salty fries. Placing one fry in his mouth, he began to chew. "You said earlier that you weren't hungry."

She reached over and picked up one of his fries. He slapped her hand and grinned as she quickly ate the stolen food item. "You really need to stop stealing my food."

"Uh-huh," she replied as she reached over once again. "So is it your gut that's telling you Lucas Barnes is guilty?" _That's right Brennan, keep the discussion work related and professional…forget the fact that you're going to be sharing a bed with Booth tonight._

He took a bite of his burger, secretly happy that he had managed to get his moment with Brennan—her stealing his fries, discussing their case. "Gut and common sense," he replied as he tapped the side of his head with his index finger.

Pushing her burger aside, Brennan concentrated solely on the fries in front of Booth. "It's very possible that Katie and Lucas broke up…"

He pointed a finger at her and grinned. "And you just provided a possible motive right there Bones."

"If she and Lucas separated once they arrived in DC, she could have been killed by anyone Booth."

"Okay, granted that is a possibility…but more likely it was the boyfriend." He watched as she ate and contemplated all of the scenarios that resulted in Katie Stonestreet lying on the table in her lab. "When we get back to DC tomorrow, we'll go have a little talk with Mr. Barnes."

She nodded as she stared at him. "You're still soaked."

He took the last bite of his burger. "Yeah," he said with his mouth full, "but food took priority."

She smiled slightly at him and shook her head. "I left the pajama pants in the bathroom for you," she informed him as she pushed her chair from the table and stood.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin and followed her lead. "Thanks Bones," he replied as he picked up a few hangers from the bed. His eyes flitted down to her bare feet and slowly began to travel up her legs, appreciating their tone slender form. His gaze paused on the hem of her shirt as it inched up her thigh in unison with the movement of her raising her arms to comb her fingers through her long wet hair.

_Maybe I can't control myself_. He retreated to the bathroom where a cold shower was now on his itinerary.

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The bright green comforter on the bed did not diminish Brennan's sudden exhausted state, though it did make her wonder who had selected the color scheme for the room. She pulled the file on Katie Stonestreet from her bag and watched as water dripped off the papers.

"That's great," she mumbled to herself as she walked to the bed and placed the file on the nightstand. She moved the grotesque green comforter back to reveal yellow sheets bright enough to rival the sun. After fluffing a couple of pillows and placing them against the headboard, Brennan sat down on the bed, her legs crossed "Indian style" in front of her.

Slowly peeling open the wet folder, she carefully pulled the pieces of paper apart. The photograph of Katie Stonestreet, smiling, caught in a carefree moment was in direct opposition to the description of the angry sullen young woman Carl had described. While she wondered what events had occurred in the teenager's life to cause such a drastic change in personality, Brennan knew all too well the heavy hand that life could deal a person.

Perusing the file proved to be the distraction that she needed from her current locale and situation. She barely registered Booth opening the bathroom door and entering the room.

He grinned, drying his short hair with a towel as he took in the sight of Brennan sitting on the bed deep in concentration. Booth sauntered over to the closet and hung his clothes up to dry. He let the towel fall around his neck and stretched his tired muscles.

"Hey Bones, you mind if I turn on the television?" he asked as he picked up the remote control from the nightstand on his side of the bed.

She glanced up at her partner, taking in his bare muscular, well defined chest and toned abs. She quickly noted how low the pajama pants hung on his narrow waist, dipping into dangerous unchartered territory…at least outside of her occasional dreams.

"And worse," she whispered hoarsely.

**Author's notes: (quickly takes cover in the cereal box fortress and once again laughs maniacally) Your fruit slushies are no match for my mountain of boxes BonesDBchippie! Sorry to leave you all hanging there…well not really. Press the little review button and let me know what you think so far. Oh and Jean, I added the last part describing Booth's, er, assets just for you.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Moments—Chapter 6**

**Disclaimer: Hmmm…still not mine. But the first season DVDs will be in a few weeks.**

**Author's notes: Goldpiece, thank you for the umbrella! That green "fruit" juice that BonesDBchippie and Jaed keep throwing at me is starting to eat away the cardboard of my cereal box fortress! What the hell?! (stands up to stick out tongue at Jaed only to receive a tomato directly to the face) I suppose the umbrella thing would work better if I continued to hide behind it, huh? **

**(waves at Howdylynn) I subconsciously channeled that episode of "Who's the Boss?"!! (LOL) I completely forgot about that until I read your review. The funny thing was when I called "Nick at Night" earlier to tell them to lay off the reruns of that show when I have insomnia, their only reply was "A-Oh, Oh-A"—yeah, years later I still don't get that.**

**(eats piece of chocolate from Bella-mi-amore and contemplates what exactly is in those fruit slushies) The chocolate was mucho appreciated!**

**(pulls out large photo of David Boreananz that doubles as a map) Hey Jean, uncharted territory never looked so good, eh? (wink)**

**And Queen Isabella—You think I'm just a little insane? Only a little? I would increase my daily dosage of crack but the voices in my head are telling me that would be a bad idea…**

**Okay, the only way to stop the fruit throwing is to continue the story. I've put "A Pain That I'm Used To" on hold since I'm in a little more playful mood at the moment. I'm sure a few days back at work will take care of that… **

**And by the way, any further descriptions of Booth's assets are dedicated to everyone who reviews because without all of you, I would have no desire to continue this story.**

**Please read, enjoy and remember to press the little button and leave a review—one word, a paragraph, a novel, anything really.**

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"And worse," she whispered hoarsely.

"What?" His brow suddenly creased with worry as he watched her. Brennan's face was flushed as she simply continued to stare at him. Hopefully she wasn't getting sick from walking in the cold rain…

She managed to tear her gaze away from his body and return her focus to the soggy file sitting on the bed in front of her.

"So, uh, yes or no Bones?"

_What was the question?_ Her mind raced to remember the last ten seconds. Instead it leaped back to the moment in her office when Angela had informed her of Booth and Cam's current love affair. The images of him in bed with her boss ceased her physiological reaction to his extremely attractive masculine physique. _Television…he wants to watch television. _

"I don't care Booth," she finally answered nonchalantly. She felt his side of the bed shift under his weight as he sat down and leaned back against the headboard.

Booth switched on the television and flipped through a few channels. "Let's see, news, weather…gee, wonder what it's doing outside," he said sarcastically. "Aha, _Jeopardy_."

He placed the remote control on his lap and ran his fingers through his damp hair. "Let's see what kind of geniuses are on here today..."

"_I'll take 'Halloween' for 100."_

"_This Christian holiday also called Hallowmas was created as the day after Halloween to convert people."_

"Hmmm." Booth narrowed his eyes at the television when the answer suddenly came to him. "All Saint's Day!"

"_What is All Saint's Day?"_

"_Correct. Pick the next category."_

The agent glanced over at his partner and grinned triumphantly. For her part, Brennan was engrossed with the case file.

"_This name appears 3 times on a list of the full names of Canada's prime ministers; it's also Canada's longest river."_

"Oh come on. Who would know that besides a Canadian?" Booth questioned the television.

"Mackenzie," Brennan muttered.

"_What is Mackenzie?"_

"_Correct. And you pick the next category."_

Booth looked over at Brennan who was obviously only half listening to the game show. "Lucky guess," he mumbled.

"_A 40 B.C. treaty called for Mark Antony to marry the sister of this Roman, the future Emperor Augustus."_

"Ha! I know that one! Who is Cleopatra?!" He sat forward awaiting the affirmation of his knowledge.

"Octavius," Brennan muttered as she peeled apart two more pieces of paper in the file.

He looked over and smirked at her. She didn't know everything about everything…

"_Okay, no one hazard a guess for that one…the answer is 'who is the sister of Octavius?'."_

"What?!" He leaned back and sulked for a moment. He was currently in competition mode whether Brennan realized it or not.

"_Chief Justice No. 1, his 1794 treaty helped settle post-Revolutionary War disputes."_

Booth's face scrunched up in confusion. "Who the hell would know something like that?"

"John Jay," his partner murmured as she carefully held up a wet piece of paper and scanned its slightly smeared contents.

"_Who is John Jay?"_

"_Correct. We have less than a minute. Next category."_

Booth flipped the channel as he threw a disgusted look at Brennan. It was like watching television with Rainman.

"There's got to be something else on. Let's see here…what cheesy Lifetime movie is on tonight?" he chuckled.

"_Damn you Preston. How could you sleep with her? How could you sleep with my boss?!"_

Brennan's head shot up as the movie's dialogue sank into her psyche. He watched the color drained from her face as he quickly switched off the television. She stared at the blank screen for a moment longer before letting out a long breath.

He swallowed hard, waiting for her to say something…anything. He had attempted to apologize earlier for his indiscretion with Cam but Brennan had stopped him short, citing the inconvenient moment before interviewing the Stonestreets. The truth was that Booth had decided on that moment so that she wouldn't have an opportunity to verbally eviscerate him or launch into an anthropological rant that could have easily been summed up by the words "men are pigs".

So now he waited. Sitting on his side of the very small queen size bed, Booth held his breath and watched her. He watched as she continued to stare at the television. He watched as anger crackled in her crystalline eyes and then dissipated into…

_Hurt? Sadness? I anticipated anger but…Bones is hurt? Oh god, I hurt her? How did I let that happen and not even notice it? Because you were too busy thinking with your other head, dumbass._

"Temperance…" He saw her stiffen at the use of her name. "I think we should talk about…um, Cam and me…"

"I would prefer not to hear about your sexual conquests or preferred positions." She returned her focus to the file in front of her.

Dragging a hand over his face, Booth sighed. "Temperance, I am sorry," he said in a low voice.

He watched as her hands continued to move, pulling wet pieces of paper apart in a futile effort to save the file. It was busy work. A task to keep her busy, providing an excuse to avoid conversation. It was typical Brennan. He reached out and gingerly placed his hand on top of her right hand, pressing it against the folder.

"I know you don't want to talk to me right now but would you please listen for just a minute?"

She remained silent as she stared at his hand on top of hers. Booth briefly wondered if he would have full use of his left hand in a few moments.

"I am truly sorry for what happened between Cam and me. I…I don't know why it happened…well, I mean I know why." He cleared his throat, mentally kicking himself for the lamest apology he had ever issued. "Angela was right about my past with Cam—we were more than just co-workers a few years ago. And a few weeks ago…I was stupid Bones. It was a stupid move on my part. I didn't consider the effect it could potentially have on our cases or on our…" Booth paused as he licked his lips. "Or on us."

Her hand felt cold under his. Brennan had not tried to pull away from him. She continued to stare at his hand—his large tanned hand covering her small pale hand.

"Was?" she asked in a soft voice.

"What?"

"Was? Past tense. You said 'was' as if to indicate you are no longer involved with my boss." Her tone was louder, more controlled.

"Yeah, I ended it. I came to a few…realizations…and I called it off. I promise that there will not be a problem between Cam and the team because of this…"

"Stop making false promises," she whispered as she finally pulled her hand away. Picking up the file and the wet papers, she moved from the bed to the small table and sat down. Distance—that's what she needed from Seeley Booth and it was next to impossible to achieve in their current situation.

Every one of her walls that he had managed to get past in the last year and a half was swiftly being rebuilt before his eyes. _What the hell have I done?_

"It's not a false promise Temperance," he stated in a low tone. "I don't believe I've ever made a promise to you that I didn't keep."

She had buried herself in the file again, ignoring him, offering no response.

"I know you're angry with me Bones…"

"I'm not anything Booth. I have no feelings about your previous or present relationship with Dr. Saroyan—it's none of my business. If it doesn't affect any of the cases or interfere with the team's work, then why should it matter?" Her eyes refused to meet his as she continued fiddling with the file.

"You have no feelings on this subject?" Booth scoffed. "Really? That's the story you're sticking with?

"It's not a 'story'."

"Oh, it's a story and not a very convincing one. Bones, we're friends, partners, and I know when something is bothering you…"

"Apparently not." She bit her bottom lip to keep herself from saying anything further. Part of her wanted to share her nightmares with him. Brennan knew that if there was one person in the world who would understand, it was Booth. The other part of her was filled with such animosity toward him at the moment that she just wanted him to shut up and leave her alone.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Booth, could we please not converse for the remainder of the evening?"

Booth snorted as he turned away from her and grabbed the remote control, switching the television back on. "Yeah, sure. God forbid that Temperance Brennan has a conversation about her feelings on a subject," he muttered.

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An hour later Booth's snoring broke Brennan's concentration as she reached the last page of the file. She had salvaged most of the photographs and Angela would only need to print out a few new ones from the crime scene. Most of the report itself was unreadable but Brennan had managed to memorize the majority of it on the ride to Delaware while she ignored her partner.

She glanced over at Booth who was lying on his back with the sheets pulled up to his waist. His left hand rested on his abdomen while his right hand, grasping the remote, rested on his chest. His dark hair stuck out in several places on top of his head, giving him an almost childlike quality. Watching him sleep made Brennan realize the extent of her own exhaustion.

Gently closing the file, Brennan moved quietly to her side of the bed and switched off the light. She contemplated taking the remote control and switching off the television but she was afraid that she would wake Booth and another argument would ensue. She was tired of arguing. She was tired of feeling hurt and angry. She was just plain tired.

Gingerly climbing onto the bed, she pulled the sheets and comforter up to her chin and settled into a comfortable position lying on her left side, turned away from Booth. Tomorrow would have to be better….

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_The gun felt heavy in her hand as she left a whimpering, begging Helen Majors to go in search of Booth. She moved swiftly but quietly through the dark corridors of the abandoned sorting center, the gun growing heavier by the second. A noise that sounded distinctly like a body hitting the floor caught her attention. Her feet, clad in boots, made very little noise as she approached the area. As she glanced around the corner, she saw Lappin holding a large steel pipe over his head and Booth lying on the ground with his right hand in front of his face, awaiting the blow. She tried to lift her right hand but found the weight of the gun was constricting her movement. She watched helplessly as Lappin struck Booth with the pipe over and over until his head was nothing but a bloody unrecognizable mass. Gil Lappin turned around and smiled at her, showing her the blood and brain matter on the pipe. She finally lifted the gun, aiming the barrel at Lappin's chest, firing the small revolver until the chamber was empty. He was dead before he hit the ground, a red river of blood flowing on the floor toward her feet._

"_Now you're just like me," he whispered in her ear as he moved her long hair away from her neck. Howard Epps' creepy hands touched her shoulders and slid down her arms as he stood behind her. "You're a murderer Temperance."_

"_I know," she whispered._

"_And it feels so good doesn't it?"_

"No!" She sat up straight, sweat covering her face and neck. Her breathing was ragged as her eyes adjusted to the room and the light from the television.

"Bones?" Booth questioned in an obviously groggy state.

He was okay. She had killed Lappin before he had struck Booth with the pipe again. He was okay…

She threw the covers aside and walked to the bathroom. Booth rubbed his eyes and glanced over at her side of the bed. She had been talking in her sleep and then she had yelled. "Bones, you okay?" he asked sleepily.

He saw the light on in the bathroom and heard water running from the sink. Apparently she still didn't want to talk—no, strike that, converse—with him. He groaned and turned to lie on his back again with his left arm tucked under his pillow and his right hand resting on his stomach.

Brennan splashed cold water on her face and then stared at herself in the mirror. _You're a murderer_. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, I'm not. I did what I had to do," she whispered. She told herself the same thing after each nightmare. Logically she was correct in her assertion…in her nightmares though, she remained linked with Epps through blood and gore.

She dried her face and opened the bathroom door, switching off the light. Booth's lean form was bathed in the light from the television. He was breathing softly as she quietly moved back to the bed. _He's okay…he's alive._ As hurt as she was by his actions with her boss, Brennan was glad of the fact that he was alive.

She pulled the sheets over her body once again and settled back onto her left side. Thunder and rain could still be heard outside of the room as Brennan gradually drifted back to sleep.

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As he moved his right hand up his body to scratch an itch on his chin created by his morning stubble, Booth found a smaller, more delicate hand lying on his chest. His eyes flew open and glanced down at the top of Brennan's head which was securely tucked into the nook of his left shoulder. Her long hair was splayed across his pillow, his shoulder and his arm.

At some point during the night, Brennan had moved to his side of the bed and nestled her body close to the left side of his body, hooking her left leg over his. Her warm breath caressed the left side of his chest as he watched her chest rise and fall.

Booth didn't move an inch for fear of waking her. His right hand now rested on top of her left and the itch on his chin was forgotten. He had managed to wake up in motel room with a half-dressed Temperance Brennan in his arms. While he wasn't stupid enough to believe that his actions had been forgiven, Booth knew that he hadn't completely lost her trust. His day was definitely off to a much better start….

**Author's notes: So they're still not entirely okay but at least Booth apologized…in a sincere manner. Um, Jaed, BonesDBchippie, why do you two have slushies in your hands? (runs away to the angst fest of my other story) **


	7. Chapter 7

**Moments—Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer: Don't own them…blah, blah, blah…don't sue…blah, blah, blah.**

**Author's notes: I apologize for the delay in updating but between being sick, a little under the weather and overworked, I just couldn't seem to find the time (or inclination) to write. I did find the time to build another fortress though—no more cereal boxes! I've built the new fortress out of poster boards covered with pictures of David Boreananz. That's right—you're all so busy drooling over David's beautiful face that you've forgotten about the fruit slushies.**

**And Queen Isabella—in your last review you questioned why Booth should apologize so profusely for his indiscretion with Cam. The answer—because I said so. (big grin) Ah, I love fan fiction.**

**As always I truly appreciate all of you who continue to read this story and especially those of you who continue to take the time to leave your lovely, lovely reviews. It's always great to read your wonderful comments.**

**So please, read, enjoy and let me know what you think. A review a day is my only form of pay—and that lame line is why I don't write poetry.**

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She felt warm and comfortable as she snuggled closer to the hard mass that was radiating heat. While firm, the mass also had a supple quality to it like a… _Like a body!_

Brennan's eyes flew open as her gaze landed on Booth's hand covering hers, which just happened to be lying on his well defined pectoral muscles. She quickly realized that _she_ had been the one to move to _his _side of the bed. Slowly moving her hand away from Booth's, she took the opportunity to study his physique. His body, littered with light scars, revealed parts of Booth that he had not shared with her.

Her index finger gingerly traced a long scar that started below his left pectoral and extended to his ribcage. It was one of the many scars he had received when her refrigerator had exploded that night—the night she almost lost him. Tears pricked her eyes as she breathed in his scent and continued to trace another scar on his torso. She had memorized every injury he had sustained because he had been protecting her.

After the incident with Kenton, Brennan realized how much Booth actually meant to her. His presence in her life had become more and more significant over the past year. He was her best friend. Angela knew her, loved her and went out of her way to drag Brennan out for fun but it was Booth who really understood her. He seemed to read her mind sometimes. He knew how she felt occasionally even before she did. He was her confidante, her rock, her sounding board—he was the first person she thought of every morning and the last lingering thought before she drifted to sleep each night.

She placed her palm flat against his abdomen and watched the rise and fall of his chest. Her gaze traveled from his chest up to his face, now covered with morning stubble. She could certainly understand any woman's attraction to the agent—even her boss'.

Sighing softly, she studied his features and noticed that he was smiling in his sleep. Her lips quirked slightly at the sight. _Only Booth would have a charm smile while he sleeps_.

Brennan decided to enjoy the moment as she pushed aside her illogical feelings of hurt. She knew her feelings about Booth and Cam's fling were irrational and she didn't completely understand why she felt the way she did.

Why did it have to be Cam? Why did he have to sleep with someone Brennan had deemed untrustworthy? Cam was proficient and well versed in her job as a pathologist but…there was just something about the woman that Brennan didn't like.

Cam had commandeered the lab and the squints. She assigned nicknames to the team which Brennan found to be belittling as opposed to endearing or cute. She threatened Brennan and the others when they questioned or opposed her orders or her methods. The doctor reminded Brennan of the popular girls in school who felt that they could bully other people and never suffer consequences for their actions.

Her train of thought was detoured as Booth shifted slightly, rolling toward her and pulling her closer to him in the process. Brennan drew in a sharp breath and tensed. She waited and listened to his soft breathing in conjunction with the soft pattering of rain against the window of the motel. As she slowly breathed out, Brennan had a sudden realization—Booth wasn't snoring. He was smiling, breathing softly but he wasn't snoring—he was awake.

"Booth," she whispered. "I know you're awake—let go of me."

His eyes remained closed as he smile grew wider. "You're the one who snuggled up to me Bones. You let go."

Brennan placed her hand flat against his chest and slid her left leg up the length of his legs. Her actions caught Booth by surprise and he opened one eye to study her face. Clear blue eyes with a hint of mischief in them greeted him.

"Bones?"

Any further questions or comments on his part were silenced as Brennan used her legs and the palm of her hand to push Booth off the bed. His body hit the floor with a resounding thud, leaving the agent lying on his back in stunned silence.

She moved swiftly from the bed to the closet to retrieve her clothes. Booth groaned as he slowly sat up and watched her.

"Ouch Bones." He rubbed the small of his back with his right hand and winced.

"I told you to let go," she replied as walked past him, entered the bathroom and slammed the door.

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Sipping the hot brew that passed as coffee from the all night diner, Brennan rang the bell inside the motel office again. After a restless night with little sleep, she found her patience running low. She slapped the small bell sitting on the counter with the palm of her hand once again.

"Good Lord, why are ringing that bell this early in the morning?" the elderly motel manager asked as he grudgingly trekked into the lobby area.

"It's not that early—it's only nine in the morning. I need to use your phone to call DC before we call for a tow truck."

"Well now, DC…that's going to be long distance I believe young lady…"

He smiled and placed the phone on the counter as Brennan removed several dollars from her wallet. "Would you like to purchase an umbrella for your travels today?"

She glanced down at her slightly damp, completely disheveled attire and rolled her eyes. "I don't think it's going to make much difference," she stated as she dialed the number to Angela's office.

"Angela Montenegro, artist extraordinaire," her friend answered in a chipper tone that Brennan found extremely annoying at the moment.

"Ange, it's me."

"Sweetie! Oh my god, I was getting worried! It's nine o'clock in the morning and your not here…wait, why aren't you here? Did you have another date with Sean "He's too sexy for his shirt" Weatherman?"

"How can you be so happy first thing in the morning Ange?" She watched as Booth walked toward the office, still rubbing his back. "To answer your question, no I didn't have another date with Sean. Booth and I were stranded in Dover due to last night's rainstorm. I just need for you to tell Cam that I'm going to be late this morning."

"Hmm, how is Agent Manwhore this morning?"

"Angela!"

"Joke sweetie, it was a joke. But while we're on that topic, is there anything you want to talk about?"

"No," she replied as she watched Booth enter the office.

"You know Bones, you didn't have to kick me out of bed. There was just no need to be that rough—completely unnecessary." He took the small styrofoam cup from her hand and took a sip of its contents before he finally noticed her horrified expression.

"Um, sweetie, we so are having a little girl talk when you get back," Angela said.

"Ange," Brennan began.

"Nope, don't even try to get out of it. You slept with Booth—I get details. It's a pretty cut and dry rule here Bren."

"There is no such rule Angela!"

"Well there is now. See you soon." She ended the call before Brennan could argue with her any further.

He watched as Brennan slammed the receiver onto the cradle. "She thinks we slept together thanks to you!"

Booth smiled as he lowered the small cup from his lips. "Well technically we did sleep together Bones."

"Oh now you want to be literal," she huffed. "Just call for the tow truck so we can get out of this hellhole."

He grinned at her as she moved toward the door. "I thought you didn't believe in Hell."

"I don't but having read some of the mythological tales…"

"They're not mythological," he countered.

"Having read those tales," she continued as she placed her hand on the door, "the series of events of the last twenty-four hours certainly falls within the parameters of Hell that Christianity warns of."

Booth and the motel manager watched as she stormed outside and wrapped her jacket tight around her torso.

"You know son, it's always been my experience that the tough ones are the best ones—they keep you on your toes." The manager handed Booth the phone and winked at him. "Might wanna call for that tow truck now. I'd hate to see your girl get really riled up."

"Technically she's not my, uh, girl," Booth said as he searched for the number of a local tow truck service.

"Uh-huh, right. That'd be like me sayin' this place is just as swanky as The Hilton."

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Two excruciatingly long hours later, the SUV was ready for the trip back to DC. Booth had even paid for a new spare tire out of his own pocket since he was fairly certain that the agency wouldn't cover most of the expenses of the unexpected trip. He planned to fill out the necessary requisition forms for any future trips that took him and Bones any further than twenty miles outside of the city.

He had switched the heat on high and the hot air blowing on his face and warming his chilled body felt wonderful. Casting a quick glance at Brennan in the passenger seat, he smiled. The warmth inside the SUV had managed to lull his partner into a deep slumber.

She had curled her body so that she was facing the passenger's window and had placed her bag against the door to use as a pillow. Her restlessness and yelling in her sleep last night indicated to Booth that she was most likely having nightmares—probably starring Howard Epps.

His hands gripped the wheel at the thought of the psycho serial killer. Epps had managed to break Brennan's confidence in herself, to create self-doubt about the type of person she was. Although he had told her that she would be okay, Booth knew that 'okay' was still a long way off. He knew firsthand that telling someone that they had done the right thing, they had saved a life, wouldn't make up for the life that was taken by their own hand.

He remembered the first person he had killed as a sniper. The date; the time; the direction that the wind was blowing; the clothes that his target was wearing—he had never forgotten those details, including the sick feeling in his gut after he had pulled the trigger.

And now Brennan would have a similar memory for the rest of her life. He felt the familiar sick feeling churn through his stomach as he looked over at her again. As hard as he tried to protect her from being hurt, he had failed but he would give anything for another chance.

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Brennan stirred as Booth pulled into the parking structure of the Jeffersonian and sat up in her seat.

"So here's the game plan Bones. We go home, shower, change clothes and I'll pick you up at your place in an hour. Then we'll go have a little chat with Katie's boyfriend, Lucas…"

"Pick me up here. I have a change of clothes inside plus I need for Angela to reprint some of the photos from the crime scene that were damaged by the rain." She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door.

"Oh, okay," he replied as he studied her face. "Um, Temperance…"

His serious tone and the use of her first name caused Brennan to pause and look at him. "Yes?"

"Is there, um, anything you'd like to talk about?" he asked gently.

_You're a murderer. I know._

Brennan's gaze dropped as she shook her head. "No," she mumbled as she closed the door and walked to toward the entrance to the lab.

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Patience was not a virtue—at least not in Angela's book. Generally she felt that if she had to wait on something or someone, then odds were that she was in for a major disappointment. But news that Bren had slept with Booth—so worth waiting for.

Her mouth fell open as a disheveled, dirty Brennan walked into the lab.

"Oh my god, sweetie, what the hell happened to you?" A cursory glance told her that Brennan was not injured but her wardrobe had suffered terribly.

"Mud hole," she responded calmly as she removed Katie Stonestreet's file from her bag. "I need you to reprint the crime scene photos that were destroyed by the rain. I'll have to print out her file again in my office."

Brennan handed the photos to Angela and then proceeded to walk toward her office to find some dry clothes before heading to the decontamination shower.

"Oh don't think you're getting away that easily," Angela muttered as she followed her friend.

She found Brennan sitting on the couch in her office removing her mud clad boots. "I hope I have some extra shoes around here," she mumbled to herself.

"If you don't I'm sure I do. These heels can be a real killer," she stated as she sat down beside Brennan.

"I need those photos reprinted Ange."

"Yeah, and I need details about last night and you pushing Booth out of bed—sounds kinky. Please don't disappoint…"

Brennan rolled her eyes as she leaned back into the soft plush cushions of the couch. "We got a flat, Booth didn't have a spare, we walked to a cheesy motel, there was only one room with one bed…and nothing happened."

"Okay, fine you slept in the same bed with the hunky calendar boy for the FBI and nothing happened…by the way, you're the only woman on Earth who would have the self control to not jump his bones…so what about Sean?"

"Angela, just stop. Okay? Enough. I'm not discussing Booth or Sean with you. Just reprint those photos for me please." She laid her head back and closed her eyes, hoping that Angela would take the hint and leave. She should have known better.

"Fine, Bren, we don't have to discuss Booth or Sean. But we sure as hell are going to discuss why you've alternated between avoiding me and being pissy with me."

"I haven't been avoiding you," Brennan said with a sigh.

"Yeah, you have and it started after the whole thing with Judge Ramos…" She watched as Brennan lifted her head and eyed her warily. "That's what this is about isn't it? You're upset that Cam twisted the facts of the case and that we all went along with it, aren't you?"

"I just don't understand how the people I've worked with for so long—my friends—could ignore the truth and distort the facts, scientific facts…"

"Simple, sweetie. Justice. It was for justice for that poor girl. We discussed it and agreed that Cam's plan to bluff Judge Ramos with the evidence 'twisted' to implicate her son was a good plan. We just wanted the judge to give up her diplomatic immunity Bren. We wanted her to pay for what she'd done…"

"And what if Booth had decided to go along with Cam's plan and the bluff didn't work? We would have sent an innocent man to prison for murder Angela. Our evidence, our truth, was distorted just enough that a jury would have convicted him."

The two women stared at each other for a moment. Angela finally broke eye contact as she reached out and took her friend's hand. "Bren, I love you. I love that you seek the truth in all of these cases and I respect that—I really do. But I don't think Cam's strategy was completely out of line for that case and the circumstances."

Brennan glanced down at their hands clasped together and sighed. "So, what? Agree to disagree?"

" 'Fraid so, sweetie," Angela answered with a smile as she squeezed her friend's hand. "Are we okay now?"

"Yeah, we're good."

"Oh, no we're not 'good' sweetie. We'll be 'good' after our makeup shopping spree." She laughed at the confused look on Brennan's face. "It's like makeup sex but you find a really great sale on some cute shoes instead."

"You just made that up, didn't you?"

"That's what you get for being pissy with me sweetie."

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**Author's notes: I don't know when I'll be able to update either of my fics again—hopefully before Christmas. If not, then maybe by the New Year. Hope you enjoyed this extremely delayed chapter—be sure to press the little button and let me know.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Moments—Chapter 8**

**Disclaimer: I don't own them but I'll be more than happy to accept them as a Christmas present. **

**Author's notes: Well the new fortress of DB photos has worked wonders! It's just a bonus that he's so nice to look at…especially shirtless. Is it wrong that we all view him as a sex object? Nah, I didn't think so.**

**BonesDBchippie—I'm glad you're enjoying the new view. Here's a daiquiri…don't forget to read the chapter below after you've finished drooling.**

**elliot02uk—It's nice to be back. I've missed our banter through reviews and author's notes. Thanks as always for your lovely review and encouraging words of support.**

**Howdylynn—Did you really use the "it's not you, it's me" line? (big grin) I certainly understand your POV. I know what's it like to find a fic and really enjoy it and the frequent updates and then…nothing. Yes, a story can lose its momentum after a certain amount of time, I agree. I just wish that it had been feasible for me to update when I wanted to. Anyway, I appreciate and respect your honesty about your feelings in your last review…even though you may never even read this. (LOL)**

**To everyone else who took the time to review, I thank you. It's always nice to see that people are still out there, hungry for B/B interaction.**

**As always, please read, enjoy and be sure to let me know what you think. And if I don't have the opportunity to update again before Christmas, I wish every one of you a safe and happy holiday.**

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Booth ran his hand over his tie, smoothing down the material, as he entered the lab. It never ceased to amaze him what a hot shower and clean, crisp, dry clothes could do for one's attitude. As he pondered that thought, Cam fell in step beside him, her heels clicking loudly on the floor.

"You certainly appear cleaner than your partner did when I last saw her," she said, flashing him a slightly flirtatious smile.

The image of his anthropologist stepping into a mud hole as they walked along the road, arguing, caused him to chuckle. "Yeah, it was kind of a rough day yesterday."

"Hmmm, and last night…?"

Booth stopped and turned to look at his former lover. "Cam…"

She held her hands up and smiled innocently. "I only ask because you seem to be moving rather slowly this afternoon. And from what I've heard of Brennan, she tends to play rough with others sometimes."

"Not that it's any of your business but nothing happened, okay?" He straightened his stance and rubbed the small of his back as the unpleasant memory of hitting the floor earlier that morning came back to him. "We were stranded because of the storm and a flat tire."

"Um, Dr. Saroyan," Angela interrupted as she approached the pair. "Hodgins wanted me to tell you that he located some fibers on Katie Stonestreet's belongings that might belong to her killer."

"Okay, thank you Angela." She smiled at Booth once more before turning to leave for Hodgins' office. "Take care Booth."

Angela's dark eyes followed Cam before her gaze strayed back to Booth, who was still massaging the sore spot on his back. "So…"

"Nothing happened Angela," he stated as he winced.

"Yeah, that's what Bren said," she said as she chuckled. "What she didn't tell me was why she kicked you out of bed. Care to share, stud muffin?"

He glared at her as he moved past her. "Is she in her office?"

"Yes," she answered, allowing him to get within a few feet of his intended destination before continuing. "She's getting dressed." Angela chuckled as the agent suddenly stopped walking. He rolled his shoulders and turned back to face the artist.

"So did you two have a nice little 'girl talk'?" he asked as he glanced at his watch before shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Angela, are those photographs ready?" Brennan asked as she briskly exited her office, wearing a pair of well worn blue jeans, a light blue button up shirt and carrying a new bag.

"Got 'em right here sweetie," Angela replied as she watched Booth's eyes rake over her friend.

"You look better Bones," he stated appreciatively. "We'll try to stay away from mud holes today…"

She narrowed her eyes at him as she took the photographs from Angela's hand. "Thanks Ange," she murmured as she tucked the photos into the case file and placed it in her bag.

"Aren't you going to say anything about my new suit?" Booth asked as he picked a small piece of lint off the arm of his jacket.

Tilting her head to one side, Brennan looked over his wardrobe carefully. "It looks like all of your other suits…"

"No it doesn't," he huffed slightly.

"Black pants, black jacket, black tie and a white shirt; Booth, that's what you always wear. Now are we done with fashion week?"

"Fash…? Bones have you been watching 'E'?"

"I don't know what that means," she said as she walked past him. "Are we going to talk to Lucas Barnes or not?"

"But…but she didn't even get to see my new leprechaun socks," he mumbled.

"Guess that means Bren won't be after your pot of gold anytime soon," Angela offered as she walked away.

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They drove in silence to Lucas Barnes' studio apartment, each grateful that the trip would keep them in the DC area.

Brennan once again poured over the file and the photos. Something about the case was bothering her as she found herself pondering how Katie had gone from one extreme to the other—from a good girl to an angry runaway. What were they overlooking?

"You know Bones," Booth said as he glanced over at her, "usually when someone gives you a compliment, you compliment them back. I'm sure Emily Dickinson would agree with me."

"Post," she corrected as she turned to the next page in the file.

"What?"

"Emily Post wrote about etiquette," she replied as she sighed. "Besides you didn't compliment me…"

"Yes I did. I told you that you looked better," he reminded her.

"Be still my heart," she mumbled.

"Okay, wait…who's Emily Dickinson?" he asked as he made a right turn and slowed the SUV to search for Lucas' address.

"An American poet," Brennan answered. "This is his building."

Booth stopped the SUV, shifting it into 'park'. "I didn't know you were into poetry Bones."

"I'm not but it's amazing the things I learned by paying attention in my high school English classes." She exited the SUV and waited for him on the sidewalk.

"There's nothing like a smartass squint," he mumbled as he opened his door.

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"Thanks for taking the time to speak with us Lucas," Booth said as he and Brennan sat down on the young artist's couch. "I know this must be difficult for you."

The young man's blond hair swayed as he shook his head in agreement. "It is," he said as tears filled his dark blue eyes. "I loved Katie. She had so much raw talent…"

"Katie was an artist too?" Booth asked.

"That's how we first met," Lucas answered. "I worked in an art supply store after I graduated from high school…trying to save enough money to move away, you know? I met her at the end of her junior year of high school. She showed me some of her work—real dark context."

Brennan studied the young man as he continued to tell them about Katie. He was six feet tall with a strong athletic build—he could've overpowered the young woman despite her attempts to fight back.

"Did you ask her to run away with you?" Booth asked.

"No," Lucas answered sadly. "I told her that if things got too bad…if they became too much to bear…she could come visit me."

Booth leaned forward, tapping his index on the coffee table in front of him. "See Lucas, that story…well, I'm not buying it. You just leave your girlfriend and tell her to come by if things start getting bad?"

"Wait, girlfriend? Katie wasn't my girlfriend…"

"That's not what her father told us," the agent countered.

Lucas snorted and shook his head. "Her step-father," he corrected. "Yeah, you may want to go and have another little talk with him. He's knows damn well that I'm gay. The last time I saw Katie, I went by her house to tell her goodbye and give her my new address. Carl grabbed me by my throat and told me that his little girl wasn't allowed to have 'fairy' friends."

"What 'things' were you referring to?" Brennan asked. "When you told her if things got too bad or became unbearable, were you referring to Carl?"

Lucas sighed and lowered his head. "Yeah, I was."

"Did he abuse Katie?" Booth watched as Lucas' jaw clenched.

"It started when she was fifteen. She said that his drinking had become worse and worse. One night she woke up to find him standing in her bedroom, staring at her, reeking of beer and cigarettes. He…he…" Lucas stopped, unable to finish the story.

"Did he rape her?" Booth's voice was tight as he thought of the horror and the shame that the young girl must have felt.

"Yeah, that night and several other nights," Lucas admitted. "I tried to get her to go to the police but she refused. She thought her mother would blame her."

"We'll be in touch," Booth said as he pulled Brennan to her feet and ushered her out of the apartment.

Brennan watched as he angrily punched the button for the elevator and then began to pace. "That son of a bitch," he growled. "Katie runs away so he can't…He tracked her to DC and killed her. I know it! We need evidence Bones. We need evidence that puts him at the scene."

"Booth, there's a possibility that Carl Stonestreet didn't kill her," Brennan reasoned.

The agent stopped pacing and stared at her, his jaw clenched in anger. "He did it Bones. Trust me, he did it."

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The SUV weaved through traffic at a slightly faster pace than the posted speed limit as Booth pressed his cell phone to his ear. "No, no, I don't want you to call me back," he said gruffly. "I want you to find the information while I'm on the phone with you—now!"

Brennan, with her cell phone also pressed to her ear, glanced over at her partner. "Booth…"

"Do the squints have anything we can use?"

Before she could answer, Hodgins began talking to her again. "Okay Dr. Brennan, you were right—there were several cigarette butts inside the wall with the body. They were covered by the decomposition of the body. I can try to extract DNA from inside the filter…"

"Okay. I'll see if we can get a DNA sample from her step-father. Hodgins, is there any way to determine the brand of cigarettes?"

"No, I'm sorry, there's not. I'll begin the DNA extraction now. By the way, I did recover a fiber from the victim's backpack. It's consistent with the fibers you would find in a work glove and it had particles of a cheap concrete mix on it."

"Which is not unusual to find at a construction site," Brennan added with a sigh. "Thanks Hodgins."

"Okay, and you're sure about those dates?" Booth asked as Brennan placed her phone in her bag. "All right, good job."

He switched off his phone and slipped it into his jacket. "So Carl Stonestreet works construction. Guess where his company won a bid to build a new parking garage two years ago."

"DC," she answered.

"You get to pass 'Go' Bones and collect your two hundred dollars." He glanced over at her, noting her confused expression. "And I know that you don't know what that means. Did the squint squad have anything?"

"Hodgins was able to determine that several cigarette butts had been left at the scene…"

"It was a house under construction Bones. I'm sure that some of the guys smoked while they hammered a few nails."

"They were inside the wall with Katie, covered by decomp," she informed him. "Hodgins is going to attempt to extract DNA from them."

"Carl was awfully quick to inform us that we didn't need a sample of his DNA," Booth reminded her.

"While he was blowing smoke in our faces," Brennan added.

**Author's notes: Sorry for the short chapter. There's probably only one or two chapters left for this story. I'll do my best to update again soon.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Moments—Chapter 9**

**Disclaimer: Um, is this really necessary anymore? I believe we all know that I don't own them.**

**Author's notes: I hope everyone had a nice holiday and had the opportunity to enjoy the reruns from Season 1 of BONES that the FOX network had the good sense to show.**

**My dearest Jean—do you doubt my ability to wrap this story up in the next two chapters? Really? (big grin) I thought I would be nice and shorten your torment. (LOL) By the way, I hope you are feeling better. I read your review of my New Year's story and I was very sorry to hear that you were feeling under the weather. **

**Howdylynn—I have never ever, ever doubted your loyalty! I think when I read the "it's not you, it's me" line, it felt like a break-up. (wink) Believe me, I always anticipate and love to read your reviews and delightful insights…and it's good to know that you're still woo-hooing at every update.**

**And no, my lovely, lovely readers, I have not forgotten what the title of this fic is. I promise there will be more moments between our favorite agent and anthropologist…just bear with me.**

**Okay everyone, please read, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

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The two and a half hour drive from DC had done nothing to diminish Booth's anger. That fact became even more obvious when the tires of the SUV squealed as he turned the corner onto Pleasant Street. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he stepped on the brake to slow the speeding vehicle.

"Booth," Brennan said in a tense voice as she gripped the armrest of her seat. She slowly began to relax as he stopped the SUV in front of the Stonestreet residence. "Before we speak to him I think you need to take a moment to calm down."

His hand was on the door handle when he felt Brennan's hand grasp his forearm. He turned his face toward hers and saw the immense concern in her azure eyes. Booth removed his hand from the door handle and placed it on top of her hand which was still resting on his arm. "I just wanna get this bastard…"

"And we will," she stated in a soft reassuring voice.

He took a deep breath and rubbed his hand over hers, enjoying the contact. "Okay. Let's go wrap this case up Bones."

They exited the vehicle and quickly approached the front door where Margie Stonestreet, looking even more frail and lost than before, greeted them.

"Mrs. Stonestreet, we need to speak with your husband." Booth's tone was firm and businesslike with a small hint of anger that only Brennan could detect.

"He's not here Agent…uh…."

"Booth, ma'am. Can you tell us where he is?" His jaw clenched and unclenched as his dark eyes looked past Margie into the residence, scanning the visible areas for any sign that she was lying to them.

"Work, he's at work." Her speech was slow and slightly slurred and Brennan detected an odor of alcohol when Margie moved to close the door.

"Mrs. Stonestreet, can you tell us where he's working today?" Brennan asked as she placed her hand on the door to halt the woman's retreat. "It's about Katie."

The older woman's red-rimmed eyes focused on the anthropologist as tears suddenly formed. "Katie? My little Katie?"

Brennan nodded and held her hand firm against the door. "We have very important information about Katie that we need to discuss with your husband."

"He and the other guys were movin' equipment to Logdon Street…400 block…they're tearing down some houses…"

"Thank you Mrs. Stonestreet." Brennan removed her hand from the door and turned to catch up with Booth who was already at the SUV.

"Yeah, 400 block of Logdon Street. Inform the officers that they'll be assisting a federal agent with apprehending a homicide suspect." He closed his phone and glanced at Brennan across the hood of the vehicle. "This way we have backup in case his co-workers try to help him out of the situation."

She simply nodded as she entered the SUV knowing from his current tone that he was not in the mood for any further discussions.

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A light misting rain fell from the dark sky as they approached the construction site. Brennan warily eyed the copious areas of mud around the site as she and Booth walked over large wooden planks that crisscrossed the ground.

"Hey, either of you seen Carl Stonestreet around here?" Booth questioned two men as he held up his badge. A tall, lanky man nodded and gestured toward the large house that was the future object of their destruction. Booth nodded his thanks in return and motioned for his partner to walk in front of him. Although she had been oblivious to the stares from the construction workers, he had not been. If there was ever a time to display alpha male tendencies, he surmised now would be appropriate.

They entered the cool damp house and searched the area for Carl or anyone else who could direct them to their suspect. The sound of heavy machinery and the patter of light rain on the roof seemed to echo through the large empty spaces of the abandoned house.

"I don't think he's in here," Brennan said.

Booth placed his hands on his hips and sighed. "Something tells me that Margie made a phone call after we left."

"Why?" She turned to face Booth, her eyes boring into his.

"This is just like a magic act. They direct our attention here while the real action is taking place somewhere else—in other words, Carl's hiding from us."

"But why would Margie call and warn him?"

"I don't think Margie does anything without Carl's approval Bones and talking to us…probably not on the list of things he would approve of," he said as he ran his hand through his hair.

Before Brennan could comment on his obvious frustration a sudden movement outside the window behind her partner caught her attention. As her mind registered what was about to occur, Brennan ran forward and threw her body against Booth's. The couple fell to the ground just as a wrecking ball slammed through the wall and window where the agent had been standing.

Brennan felt a sharp shooting pain in her left wrist as she and Booth collided with the hard cold floor. Booth's protective instincts kicked in, immediately shielding his partner from the falling debris as the wrecking ball moved back through the large hole in the side of the house. As he stood, he grabbed the lapels of her jacket, swiftly bringing Brennan to her feet before ushering her out of the house.

The rain was now heavier and large drops of water pelted the mud around the site that was not covered by wooden planks. As they exited the house Booth glanced up to see that the operator of the wrecking ball was none other than their murder suspect. The first Dover police officer pulled up in his patrol car and Carl climbed down from the large piece of machinery as quickly as his robust body could carry him.

Fueled by sheer anger, Booth ran through the mud and quickly caught up to his suspect. He tackled the large man and pushed his face down in a mud hole. Carl coughed and sputtered as Booth pulled his head up from the murky water. "Carl Stonestreet, you're under arrest for the attempted murder of a federal agent—me—and my partner. And pretty soon I'm gonna add Katie's murder to those charges. You have the right to remain silent…"

"Screw you," Carl spewed out as Booth snapped the handcuffs on one of the man's large meaty wrists.

"Where you're going Carl, they don't like child molesters or killers. What you did to Katie….let's just say karma is gonna be a real bitch," he hissed as he shoved the older man's face into the mud hole once again.

"Agent Booth! Are you okay?" He glanced up to see a young officer running toward him.

He pulled Carl's head out of the water once more and listened as the man coughed and struggled to catch his breath. "Yeah I'm fine but I have a feeling Mr. Stonestreet here will be requesting medical attention."

"Sure, no problem. We've already called EMS for your partner anyway…"

Booth felt a lump form in his throat as he struggled to find his footing in the mud. "Bones," he whispered. He motioned for the officer to take care of Carl as he ran to find his partner.

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Booth's nose crinkled as a strong wave of disinfected cleaner wafted through the hallway of the hospital. He paced in front of a couple of drink machines and gritted his teeth as his mud caked shoes squeaked with every step. Brennan, in all her stubborn glory, had refused medical attention at the construction site and diagnosed her wrist as merely sprained. He had insisted that she see a physician at the local hospital where Carl had been taken after his arrest, just as Booth had predicted.

Brennan had sat in on part of the interrogation, cradling her injured wrist, while she waited for a doctor. The interrogation had ended fifteen minutes ago and Booth still saw no sign of his partner. He put on his best charm smile and held up his badge when he saw a nurse meandering down the hallway.

"Excuse me, I'm Special Agent Booth and I was wondering if you could tell me where my partner is." He forced the tone of his voice to stay calm and even as the woman took in his disheveled muddy appearance.

"What's your partner's name?"

"Dr. Temperance Brennan…she had an injured wrist."

"Oh yeah, she's around the corner, first door on the right."

"Thank you." He quickly turned and walked down the hall, each stride marked by the squeaky soles of his shoes. Booth found her sitting on the examination table, inspecting her slightly swollen wrist.

"Bones, where the hell is the doctor?"

Brennan glanced up at him before resuming her inspection. "He's waiting on x-rays. Apparently they only have one technician on duty at the moment."

"So he thinks it's broken?"

"No, not broken. But the possibility of a hairline fracture is significant…."

"Thank you," he said softly, interrupting her self diagnosis.

"For what?" Her brow creased in confusion as she looked up at him noting that his brown eyes were watching her intently. Booth took a step toward her and gingerly ran his index finger over the swollen bluish hue of her wrist.

"For saving my life…again." He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as his eyes found hers once more. The shooting incident with Gil Lappin automatically replayed itself in both of their minds. Brennan closed her eyes and lowered her head as the images flooded her brain.

"I wish I could say that the nightmares don't last that long Temperance but I can't," he confessed softly. Confusion again graced her features as Brennan looked up at him.

"How did…?"

"You're my partner and my best friend," he answered as he smiled slightly. "Plus you talk in your sleep."

She shook her head as her gaze found its way to her wrist again. "Did Mr. Stonestreet finally confess?"

He sighed at the realization that there would be no further discussion of her nightmares. For a brief moment she had allowed him access to her pain—a pain he so desperately wanted to erase. "He said it was an accident."

"He's lying, Booth," she replied angrily. "Katie fought him…"

"I know Bones."

"She sustained several injuries during the attack…"

"Bones," he said as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "I know. I told him that we knew the truth; that we knew what really happened and he broke. He finally admitted that he tracked her to DC and killed her when she threatened to tell everyone what he had been doing to her."

"Okay." It was the only response she could think of considering the close proximity of Booth's body and the feel of his large warm hands resting on her shoulders. They stared at each other for a long moment and Brennan suddenly realized that Booth's face was moving closer to her own, their mouths mere inches apart.

Before she had an opportunity to choose between panicking or giving in to her desire, the physician entered the room and interrupted the moment. Booth quickly removed his hands from Brennan's shoulders and took a step back, acting like a guilty teenager who had been caught making out with his girlfriend.

"Well Dr. Brennan, just as we suspected you have suffered a hairline fracture," the small stocky doctor informed her as he held up the x-rays of her arm. "From the x-ray I think you'll be okay with a functional cast."

Brennan cleared her throat and nodded. "So does that mean I can leave now?"

The doctor chuckled at Brennan's impatience as he lowered her x-rays. "As soon as we provide you with a cast and your discharge papers." He chuckled again as his gaze settled on Booth. "You know, most people remove their clothing before indulging in a mud bath….extremely good for the skin."

The agent grimaced at the thought of his new, now ruined, suit. "Funny," he muttered. "Stupid unlucky leprechaun socks." His squeaking shoes only added to his humiliation as he walked out the door to wait for Brennan in the hallway.


	10. Chapter 10

**Moments—Chapter 10**

**Disclaimer: All together now…I don't own any of the characters associated with BONES.**

**Author's notes: Yes, this is the last chapter of this story—I basically had it ready yesterday but I wanted to review it again and make sure it was suitable to post. I hope you've enjoyed all of the little moments between Booth and Brennan, although sometimes they were overshadowed by the horrible turn in the case. I plan to finish "A Pain That I'm Used To" before I begin one of the numerous story ideas that I have outlined somewhere. Thanks to all of you who read this story and special thanks to all of you who took the time to review. **

**Please read, enjoy and remember to let me know what you think.**

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Angela quietly approached the platform area, watching as Hodgins diligently wrote down his notations on the Stonestreet case. She smiled as he scratched his bearded chin—a sign that he was deep in thought on the subject at hand.

The sound of Angela's card allowing her access to the area broke Hodgins' concentration. He looked up and smiled at the sight of her walking toward him. His heart always stopped for a brief second when he realized that _he_ was the focus of _her_ attention.

"Were you able to extract any DNA from the cigarette butts?" She took a seat and rolled it to his work station.

"Of course," Hodgins replied casually as he leaned back and grinned at her. "You are talking to the 'King of the Lab' baby."

"Oh sorry your majesty, I didn't know." She laughed as she leaned forward, propping her elbow on the table and placing her chin in her hand. "Have you heard anything else from Brennan?"

"Nah, she's probably helping Booth interrogate their suspect…you know, spending quality time together."

Angela rolled her eyes. "They'll probably spend their first date on a stake out or here in the lab over a decomposed body," she sighed. "That is…if they ever decide to see that they're perfect for each other."

He moved his chair closer to hers and leaned in close to her face. "Maybe, just maybe, Angela Montenegro, you should open your eyes and start making a few decisions yourself," he whispered.

Angela felt a shiver run down her back under his steady blue gaze. She knew exactly what he was referring to and it was becoming more and more difficult to conceal what she was feeling for Jack Hodgins.

"Maybe you're right," Angela agreed as her gaze fell upon his lips.

"Oh my god, are you two okay?!" Cam's voice carried through the lab, interrupting their flirtatious moment.

Angela's attention was now drawn to the front entrance where Booth and Brennan stood. "What the hell…?" She and Hodgins quickly moved from the work station in tandem and descended the platform stairs.

"What happened to you two?" Cam questioned the couple as Hodgins and Angela approached.

"Mud hole," Booth responded with a grimace. The feeling of dried mud on certain areas of his body was a less than pleasant sensation.

Hodgins laughed at the agent's obvious discomfort. "Dude, use Jell-O the next time you wanna wrestle somebody—it's easier to clean up."

Booth scowled at the entomologist as Angela laughed. "Personal experience?" she asked.

"There are just certain things you know," he answered with a shrug.

Angela's mood quickly turned to concern when she spied Brennan's injury. "Sweetie, are you okay?"

"Fine. It's a simple hairline fracture," Brennan replied as she held up her wounded arm.

The artist crossed her arms and glared at Booth. "And how did that happen?"

"Wrecking ball," Brennan answered succinctly as she turned away from the group and walked toward her office.

Cam, Hodgins and Angela stood patiently, waiting for Booth to expound on his partner's explanation. He sighed as he removed his jacket, which was stiff from its tumble in the mud. "She pushed me out of the way when Carl Stonestreet sent a wrecking ball through the side of the house…right where I was standing."

"She saved your life again," Cam said softly as she glanced toward Brennan's office before turning back toward Booth, a smile playing upon her lips.

"I'm going to check on her," Angela announced as she moved to walk toward her friend's office.

"I think Agent Booth needs to have a little talk with his partner," Cam stated as she cast a knowing look in his direction. "A long overdue talk."

Hodgins placed his hand on Angela's arm and nodded his agreement with Cam's observation. "Why don't I buy you a cup of coffee?" he asked as he leaned in close to her ear. "And we can have a little conversation of our own…"

Booth and Cam stood silently as Hodgins guided the artist away from them. Booth stared at his shoes, caked with dried mud, as he contemplated his former lover's words.

"Booth," she whispered as she placed her hand on his arm. "Go talk to her."

He shook his head as his eyes met hers. "I don't think she would be very receptive at this point…"

Cam chuckled and squeezed his arm. "Men can be so dense sometimes. Brennan would be more than receptive but she's scared…I know, I've been there myself."

"But…"

"For god's sake Booth, no 'buts', okay? She saved your life—again! She threw herself into the path of a wrecking ball for _you_."

"You would've done the same thing."

Cam removed her hand from his arm and smoothed down her jacket, slightly extending her left foot to show off her high heel shoes. "Not in this outfit with these shoes honey. It takes a lotta of money to look this good." She lowered her foot and smiled. "You're worth many things Seeley Booth but destroying a pair of three hundred and fifty dollar shoes—nu huh."

"That hurts Cam," he said as he laughed. "But having ruined one of my fifteen hundred dollar suits, I can completely understand."

"You're stalling…go." She nodded her head in the direction of Brennan's office. "Don't miss out on any more moments with her."

Exhaling a long breath and squaring his broad shoulders, Booth strode to Brennan's office, his resolve wavering with each step. He stopped for a moment at her door and took in the sight of her sitting at her desk, scanning the contents of a folder.

"Hey Bones, how's your wrist?" He moved toward her couch and took a seat.

"The same as it was when you asked thirty minutes ago." She continued to peruse the folder on her desk, pretending that he wasn't in the room. After their close encounter at the hospital Brennan had decided to take a step back from their partnership and examine what had almost occurred between them.

Of course that examination ended abruptly when she realized that her behavior over the last few days had stemmed from jealousy—jealousy that Booth had chosen Cam over her; jealousy that he had not even considered her…at least in her estimation of the situation.

Then her self examination began all over again when her brain and her heart aligned for a millisecond and she realized what she potentially felt for her partner was more than just friendship. That was when Brennan's head overruled her emotions and screamed at her to keep the only healthy relationship she'd ever had with a man purely platonic.

She found the purely platonic epiphany difficult to enforce when the object of her newly realized desire was sitting on her couch, speaking to her in a playful tone, giving her "puppy dog" eyes.

"Well, another case solved," Booth said with pride as he leaned back into the soft cushions of her couch with his jacket draped over one leg. "By the way, I'll pay to have the couch cleaned."

Brennan simply glanced up at him and shook her head before returning her attention to her work.

"Yeah, Bones, I told you it was the father…"

"Step-father Booth and you only came to that conclusion after Lucas told you he was gay." She sat up straight in her chair, sending him a challenging look.

"That was a new fact that helped to put the case in perspective…."

"It was a new fact that made you very uncomfortable," she stated with an authoritative tone.

"No it didn't."

"Yes it did. I've been reading a book on body language and when Lucas told you that he was gay you moved closer to me…"

"So?"

"So, by moving closer to me you were displaying your discomfort with that new little fact that gave you 'perspective'."

"Okay, first of all," he began as he sat forward. "You need to stop reading books on body language and how to get along with co-workers and all of that other crap that you can't learn about by reading. And second of all, if—IF—I did move closer to you, then, yeah, maybe I was letting him know, subconsciously, that I like women."

"You should've just thrown a pair of Cam's underwear at him," she mumbled.

Booth closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling as though he had been punched in the stomach. "Hope your wrist feels better Bones," he said softly as he stood.

Brennan swiveled her chair away from him and stood before moving to her bookcase. She knew her last comment had been a low blow but she wasn't in the mood to dole out apologies, especially when her objective was to get him to leave her alone. At least alone she knew she stood a better chance of burying her feelings about a certain FBI agent.

He walked toward the door and stopped short, realizing that he needed her to know how he felt even if she wasn't receptive or didn't feel the same. Pushing the door shut, he locked it so that none of the Squints could interrupt. Booth turned on his heel and walked around the desk to where Brennan stood in front of the bookcase. He grabbed the book from her hands, careful not to jostle her injured wrist, tossed the book on her desk and then leaned in close, causing Brennan to take a few steps back.

When her back made contact with the wall she seemed surprised. Booth closed in on her and placed one hand against the wall near her shoulder, effectively trapping her.

"Listen to me very carefully. I'm done apologizing for what happened with Cam," he said in a low tone as his breath caressed her face. "It was a mistake. I told you that it was over with her and it is because I didn't love her. Remember when we had that conversation about sleeping with people as a 'release'?"

She stared at him, dumbfounded by his actions.

"And you remember how I said something about there's certain people you can sleep with and it's more than just sex?" He leaned in closer to her face as his body hovered near hers. "For me, Temperance, _you_ are that person. When, not if, but _when_ we sleep together it won't be just sex…because I love you…"

He watched the fear enter her eyes at his confession.

Brennan stood very still although her body was vibrating at the close proximity of Booth's. She barely had time to register that Booth anticipated that they would, at some point, sleep together when he said the three words that sent her running every time.

Booth didn't allow her lack of a response to stop his diatribe. "You can have your fun with Sean and anybody else who doesn't mean anything to you….but I'm done with that. I know what I want—who I want—and it's you. And I'm willing to wait for however long it takes for you to come to your senses."

"Why?" she managed to whisper.

He smiled at her as he brought his lips closer to her. "Because all of the little moments that we've shared…they mean everything to me and I want more of them." He gently brushed his lips over hers before leaning back. "Let me know when you're ready."

He removed his hand from the wall and walked toward her office door again, pausing to unlock it. As Booth opened the door he came face to face with Sean Weatherman.

"Oh, Agent Booth, excuse me," the archeologist said cheerfully. "I'm looking for Temperance."

Booth turned slightly and glanced at Brennan who was still standing next to the bookcase with her back against the wall.

"I'm not, uh, interrupting anything am I?" Sean asked as his eyes traveled up and down Booth's muddy wardrobe.

"No, we're done….for now." He smiled, slapping the doctor on the back as he left the office. "See ya Weatherman."

"Actually it's…oh wait, he got it right," Sean mumbled to himself as he ambled into the office. He frowned as he looked at the dried mud that had flaked off Booth's suit onto the couch before settling his gaze on Brennan.

"I have news," he stated, watching as she slowly moved back to her desk and took a seat. "I took the job with Stanford!"

She nodded as she stared at the top of her desk. "That's nice."

"That's 'nice'? Temperance, they are paying me an obscene amount of money to head their archeology department and I still get to travel and go on archeological digs—that's more than nice." He took a seat across from her and narrowed his eyes when he finally noticed the cast on her left wrist. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"Nothing…it's nothing." She looked up at him and offered a small smile. "Congratulations on your job…"

"I thought that perhaps I could take you out for a celebratory dinner." He watched as she turned toward her computer monitor, her focus obviously elsewhere. Sean glanced toward her office door recalling Booth's retreat. "And then maybe we could signal an alien spaceship and take a ride around the galaxy, through the Milky Way…"

"I'm really busy this evening Sean," she replied.

Shaking his head, he emitted a soft chuckle and leaned forward in his chair. "Hey Temperance…"

"Sean, I told you…"

"No, I know we're not going to dinner."

She turned to look at him, confusion evident in her features.

"I don't know what happened in the last day or two between you and Agent Booth but I do know that whatever it was—it's apparently been a long time coming."

Brennan opened her mouth to rebuff his observation but Sean cut her off. "Go talk to him. If you don't, you'll regret it. Trust me…I speak from experience." As he stood to leave, he winked at her. "It was good seeing you again Temperance. If you ever change your mind about, you know, Stanford…or me…give me a call."

She remained very still and contemplative as Sean left her office. Booth had made a declaration of love—a more than platonic friends type of love. She replayed all of the moments between herself and Booth that he had mentioned and suddenly all of the pieces of the puzzle of their relationship fell into place.

Somewhere between their first meeting, being forced to work together, and identifying her mother's remains, she had developed feelings beyond friendship for Booth. She had never denied, at least to herself, that she had always found him physically attractive and had even entertained the idea of having sex with him for purely recreational purposes. In the end she decided that their professional relationship and their cases outweighed her basic physiological needs and biological urges. But now….

Now Booth had changed the dynamic of their relationship with his revelations and there was no going back. Should she suppress her emotions and continue with the status quo of their partnership as though nothing had happened? Or should she find Booth and trust that the one man who had always been there for her would continue the trend?

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A hot shower and a cold beer later, Booth stood in front of his refrigerator opening his second beer thinking about what happened in Brennan's office. He sighed softly, wondering if he had gone too far too fast with her. He knew when Brennan felt cornered or pushed, she either pushed back or she shut down. Apparently this time she had chosen 'shut down' mode.

He closed the refrigerator door and took a swig of his beer. While he had meant every word that he'd said to her, Booth knew full well he could be in for a hell of wait for Temperance Brennan to admit her feelings.

A knock on his door broke his reverie and he placed his beer on the counter and picked up the money he had set aside for the pizza he had ordered.

"So how much do I owe you?" he asked as he opened the door.

"Speaking in monetary terms, nothing; but I could go for a beer," Brennan answered.

"Oh…hey Bones. I was expecting the pizza guy."

"I can always come back another time…" She started to turn and walk away but Booth grabbed her arm.

"Bones, he's just going to drop off the pizza, not stay and help me eat it. Come on in."

She walked past him into the apartment and removed a small package from her bag.

"Here," she said as she gave him the package.

"What's this for?"

Brennan shrugged and watched as he opened his gift. Booth smiled as he held up a pair of green socks with dancing leprechauns on them.

"I hope they're okay. You mumbled something about leprechaun socks at the hospital and I surmised that the pair you owned was ruined."

He chuckled as he placed the socks on his kitchen counter and took a beer out of the refrigerator for her. "Thanks."

She took the beer from his hand and nodded her thanks.

"You wanna sit down?" He gestured toward the couch and they moved into the living room. They sat in silence for a few minutes and drank their beers, neither sure what to say or where to start. Booth knew that he wanted her to make the first move so that he knew where he stood.

Her fingers slowly peeled away pieces of the label on the beer bottle as she began talking. "What you said earlier in my office…I thought about it."

His eyes studied her face as he lowered his beer bottle. "And?" he prompted softly.

"If we decide to pursue a relationship beyond the established parameters we have now, we both know that there could be certain consequences…"

Booth smiled at her ability to endlessly rationalize any situation, even one involving her feelings. "I think we are both very capable at handling any situation that comes our way."

Brennan nodded and continued to nervously peel her label. "I…will admit that I…have developed feelings for you that cannot be explained by certain chemical or physiological responses…"

"Although I'm sure you tried."

"Yes," she admitted softly. "I did. But I realized that the reason your relationship with Cam bothered me so much was that I was…."

"Jealous?" he guessed.

Brennan nodded again as her face blushed. "That was something that I didn't want to admit, even to myself."

His laughter caught her off guard and she looked at him with a hurt expression. "I'm not laughing at you Bones. I just…I have to admit that I absolutely hated that Sean guy."

"Yeah, he figured as much," she said with a smile.

"So?" He smiled at her warmly, silently encouraging her to continue.

"So…you said the, uh, nightmares will continue for awhile."

His smile never wavered as he reached out and took her hand, giving it a slight squeeze. Booth understood she was giving him what she could at the moment; and at the moment, she was willing to let him help her with something that was bothering her. He knew Brennan would take her time and thoroughly examine their budding relationship as she did everything else.

"Yes, for awhile but they'll slowly disappear. However, I'm not gonna lie to you—you're always going to feel different." He moved closer to her and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. "Do you want to tell me about the nightmares?"

As she began recalling her disturbing dreams involving Epps, Booth glanced over at the leprechaun socks she'd bought for him. There was a pot of gold and the promise of many more moments between them at the end of the rainbow after all.

**Author's notes: I hope you all enjoyed this fic, especially since I had a great time writing it….when I could find the time to write that is. I'm off now to try and finish "A Pain That I'm Used To"—for those of you who are reading that story, I'm going to do my best to update soon. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!**


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